Tattoo
by cleverplane769366
Summary: A girl meets Alucard and finds herself falling for the only vampire she needs to fear.
1. Introductions

Disclaimer: Hellsing isn't mine, yo. but pura and the ideas are. so help me god if i find you using them i will hunt you down and gut you like a fish

My first fanfiction, thanks to my beta, CannotFathomaPenname. You should check out her stuff, it's great. Reviews are helpful, so you should do that. Thanks for reading! Don't be mean in your reviews, I fear rejection like the plague. Of the bubonic sort. Yes.

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My name is Pura. I have no last name, or if I did I don't remember it. The same with a family. Oh sure I have friends, but I can't recall anything from about six years ago, I was ten. I've been on my own, and I've kept that fact pretty well hidden. If I didn't, I'd be living in an orphanage instead of a small apartment on the outskirts of London. It's not in the best neighborhood; not many questions are asked about who you are as long as the rent is paid on time, so that's a plus. I moved here about a year ago from a town in America that wasn't even on a map. You'd be surprised how easy it is to get a passport when some one claims to be your legal guardian.

But back to the apartment because it's fairly important; as I said it's not a great neighborhood. No, you can't even call it that; it sucks, really it does. And I don't have a car; which means walking to and from work every day. Of course, the "day" isn't the bad part. Now, I'm only like 5'1". I'm short, okay? And I'm a girl. A short, 16 year old girl, alone, at night in a bad neighborhood, on a dead-end street in which someone has stoned the streetlight out. Put it together.

I knew all of this, but for some reason I often forget any sort of pepper spray or the like, remembering this just as I turn on my street. This was one of those nights. Looking down the darkened street, I felt an unusual shiver of fear run down my spine. I stood there, looking out to the far end where my home lie, and tried to convince myself that I was shaking from the cold. That I was being irrational. Inhaling deeply, I began walking down the sidewalk, trying to ignore the speed at which my heart was racing, and concentrate on increasing the speed at which my feet were moving.

As my steps quickened through the darkness, I began to see the shadows contort to frightening shapes, and started to walk even faster. My heart crashed wildly in my chest as I saw that I was approaching an alleyway. In an attempt to calm myself, I though how cliché it was for someone to wait for me in an alleyway. I stopped thinking this when a hand was clamped around my mouth and a knife was pressing against my throat.

If I were lucky, these men would have taken my pay and left. But they didn't want money.

There were two of them, and they were quite large. Though, who ever heard of a short rapist? When the second man reached toward me, the first one moved the blade away from my neck. I bent my foot right into his crotch. Ducking away from the second guy, I darted out of the ally and back up the street, away from my house.

At once I noticed that something was disrupting the light falling from the streetlamp to the pavement. No, not something, some_one_. And he was coming towards me.

This realization startled me so badly in my already terrified state that I nearly turned back. I might have done just that if I could have stopped in time. When I first saw him coming down the sidewalk, it didn't register how very tall he was until my face slammed into his chest. Gasping in fear of those behind me, I looked up at him with terror-widened eyes.

"Please!" I begged "Sir if you have a cell phone or anything please call the police or something! Anything!"

Looking down at me from behind his orange-tinted glasses he seemed like he was debating whether to help me for a terrifying moment.

I whipped around to check the progress of my pursuers, and found to my horror that they were only about ten feet from me.

Pausing at the intimidating presence of the unnerving man towering over me, they exchanged glances as though wondering whether to continue their assault. Looking back in a panic, I watched as he pulled his arm out of his coat, and with it, an enormous silver gun.

Evidently no one in the other party had thought to bring a gun, and they were gone before I even knew what in God's name was going on.

I was still shaking with adrenaline when he spoke in a low, velvety voice.

"Are you alright?"

I raised my eyes to look at him, and it was then I really noticed what he was wearing. A black suit, covered with a long, blood-red coat that seemed to move on its own. An expertly knotted looped tie the same shade as his coat was pulled aroundhis neck. From under his wide-brimmed red hat I could see his long, soft-looking black hair.

"Um….ye-yeah…I think so." I said shakily.

I realized that at some point I had sunk to the ground on my knees and hastened to get up. He put out his hand to help me up, and I took it. He still seemed as tall as he had been. I wondered why he was so calm. He just saved my life and he acted as if he ran across this everyday.

Apparently amused by my nervousness, he chuckled quietly. For some reason, the sound reassured me, despite the ominous quality of it. I smiled shyly back at him.

"Why don't I walk you back to your home?" He asked

"Alright" I replied. A slight worry at the back of my mind said that I probably shouldn't show random, gun-toting men where I live. But I ignored that voice in favor of the one telling me I'd probably come off as a bitch if I told this man who just rescued me from rapist that I didn't want him following me back.

As we walked back up the sinister lane, (well, walked isn't all that accurate. More like 'he walked and I nearly had to run to keep up.') I wondered where he was going. I know he didn't live here, I've never seen him before and no one's moved out lately. A soft murmur interrupted my thoughts: "What's your name?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry… my name's Pura. What's yours?"

"Alucard"

"Alucard…" I echoed and rolled around in my head.

Despite his daunting presence, I found myself feeling at ease around him. Nervous, but not as scared as I thought I should be. In fact, I found I _liked_ being near him. But the small voice in the back of me head told me the bonding with frightening people you just met is not a very good way to go about life.

So I wasn't surprised when I was wishing the street was longer as we reached my building. I stood at the bottom of the steps leading up to the main door.

"Thank you so much Alucard…."

"You're welcome."

"Um…" I started nervously "I hate to ask after everything but…"

"Hm?"

"Can I see your eyes?"

He slipped off his glasses, and I gasped. His eyes were such an amazing, glittering shade of red. My heart sped up, and I had to lean back against the door to keep from falling right off the top of the steps. He found my reaction amusing and laughter rumbled deep in his chest.

"Goodbye then." He said, still grinning. He turned and began walking back.

"Bye" I replied. I don't know if he heard me, I was still a little breathless and my response was almost a whisper.

As I climbed up the steps to my third-floor apartment, I kept the image of him in my mind, so I wouldn't forget him.

I was still daydreaming as I opened my door, so out of it I didn't realize my door wasn't locked like I left it. And not a second passed from the time I opened my door, when my mouth was covered and I was dragged struggling into darkness for the second time tonight.

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A/N: Cliffhangers, yay!


	2. Vampires Don't Exist

A/N: Wow I bet you're excited to see what's gonna happen! Everybody dance!

I must have passed out, or was knocked unconscious which is more likely, because I woke up. Not upsetting by itself, but the problem was that I couldn't move my arms or legs. When I opened my eyes, I saw what was restricting me. It was so obvious that it was almost disappointing; ropes. That's boring. The panicking came when I figured out someone had gagged me. No screaming. And it was pitch-dark

As I was tugging at the ropes and making muffled yells, a door suddenly opened and the light from the doorway blinded me slightly. I couldn't see who it was, but I could hear footsteps coming towards me. Two sets of them. I was still blinking in the light when my head was wrenched back by my hair, making me yelp in pain.

"How old is she?" asked a male voice with an English accent.

"About fifteen I think." Replied a second male voice with an even more pronounced accent. Fifteen? What was wrong with these people? I most certainly was not!

It was about this time that the large fuchsia rectangles stopped projecting on the inside of my eyelids and I was able to open my eyes. The two men were talking to each other and glancing down at me occasionally. Due to my 'head-wrenched-back –painfully' position, I couldn't see their faces very well. This was the case until one of them fell eye-level to me and inhaled deeply. I wasn't looking at his face exactly, but at his teeth, for after he inhaled, he grinned. His teeth were not human teeth. The canines were elongated, sharp, pointed _fangs_. I stopped writhing and froze in fear.

"You were right, she smells great" He said after getting up and looking back at the other man. "How much?"

"Hmm…£3,000 sound fair?"

What the hell was going on?! These guys couldn't be selling and buying people could they? I was not a prostitute! And more importantly, what was this guy who wanted to buy me? The first thought to spring to mind was insane. It was impossible. Vampires don't exist.

My hair was freed and I let my head fall back onto the wooden table I was laying on. My neck was starting to hurt from being pulled back like that. The part of me running with the vampire theory told me that my neck was going to hurt a lot more later.

Someone grabbed my bound wrists and began to drag me off the table, when gunshots rang out from somewhere outside the room. I was a quarter way off the table and he suddenly let my arms go in surprise. I bashed my head off the stone floor when I fell, and saw the doorway again. But the light was blocked. It was oddly familiar, but I couldn't think of the reason why. My head hurt too much. I probably had a concussion. Shit.

The two guys open fired on the man standing in the doorway, I wondered hazily where they got the damn guns. Then I blacked out.

A/N: Blacking out is a good place to end a chapter, right? Hell yes it is. Chapter three is being worked on, so try to contain your excitement, you impatient bastards. I'm kidding. I love you all with the fiery passion of a thousand eagles.


	3. Dumbass Award Given

A/N: chapter two was written in a fan-fiction writing party with Cannot Fathom a Penname. She's the most kickable beta in all the land. So buy one todaaay! Also, I wrote this next to an open window when it was about 12 degrees and windy out. Someone knit me a parka. Cannot Fathom a Pizzle just stated that she is going to run out and jump in a tree, and I made a loud, yelling noise as appropriate.

To my dismay, when I woke I was still on the cold stone floor. I'm beginning to hate this floor. On the other hand, I wasn't tied up anymore. I opened my eyes and only saw an empty hallway. I tried to get up, but when I rose, the room spun. I expected to fall once more to the ground, but my descent was arrested by the cold hand that caught my arm.

"Don't get up so fast. You barely avoided getting a concussion once, and I don't want to have to take you to a hospital." A familiar voice said as I was gently set back down.

My eyes snapped open "Alucard?!" He was sitting next to me, watching with interest.

He opened his mouth to speak and I cut him off.

"What's going on? Who were those guys?!"

"Why don't you tell me who you think they were." He suggested, obviously amused by my confused questioning.

"Um….I don't really know…." I wasn't about to tell him my little "theory", or he'll think I actually do have a concussion.

"I'm sure you've thought of something."

"Slave-traders...?" Hell no. If I'm crazy, I'm especially not going to let him know.

"I know you don't believe that at all."

Shit. Was I talking while I was unconscious? Screw it. If I'm wrong, I'll say my mind was fuzzy or something.

"V-Vampires...?" I braced myself for his laughter at my idiocy.

"Very good."

"What?" Oh God he's just messing with me now. I win the dumbass award for telling this guy that I thought vampires were real and had kidnapped me.

"Yes. You were attacked and quite nearly eaten by undead, bullet-proof, bloodthirsty vampires. They were running a human black market, which is, perhaps, the stupidest idea I've ever heard."

His tone wasn't mocking. In fact, he sounded completely sincere. It's really difficult to argue with his silky voice. Plus I was in no position to argue with him, that position being lying on the ground next to him, eyes shut in an attempt to will away the room's spinning. Then something hit me.

"Bulletproof?" I remembered something clearly: I had seen a bullet rip through his arm. I saw bullets hit him midsection too, but bulletproof vests really do exist despite what you may have heard.

He grinned. He had fangs.

I tried to scream but I couldn't. Vertigo struck when I attempted to run. I fell for a third time, terrified and only about twelve feet away. I was facing away from him, but I could hear his coat swish as he got up and strolled toward me. Trembling at my imminent death at his hands, I tensed my body and hoped it wouldn't hurt too much. The small voice reminded me that I had earlier ignored its judgment, and bonded with random people I met in alleyways. Now I was going to pay for it.

Nothing was happening, but I wasn't gonna give in and open my eyes in case he was waiting for that.

The chill of his touch on my shoulder made me rethink that plan. My eyes shot open and to my humiliation (of all the things to worry about…) I made a yelping noise that made me sound disturbingly like a dog's squeaky toy. I looked up at him, expecting to see him getting ready to rip my throat out, but instead he was calmly watching me.

"You're pretty jumpy. And I'm not going to hurt you. But I will take you home, again. Preferably to your actual apartment this time; getting abducted three times in one night would be unfortunate."

I was going to start debating whether to lead him to my apartment, but apparently he wasn't going to wait for a conformation, because he picked me up. Doing this raised me about six feet into the air. He surprised me so much I wrapped my arms around him tightly and froze when I realized I just hugged a vampire. But he just laughed.

"Don't worry, I wont drop you." He chuckled as he started walking through the halls.

Wait, where were we? I was too scared to ask him. Well, that's what I thought until I heard myself ask him. Damn fright had taken control of my vocal chords.

"Not so far from where I met you actually. Do you know where that large, abandoned warehouse is about three blocks away?"

"Oh yeah, that place. I heard they were gonna make it into a mall, but this is…kind of the opposite." Abandoned warehouse...? Why is my night filled with clichés? This fact calmed me down enough to start letting sarcasm back into my mind.

We got outside and moved into the frozen air, I involuntarily shivered and pressed myself against him for only a second before I caught myself, but I knew he felt it.

"Cold?" he murmured to me.

"I guess they t-took my c-coat." I said between the shivers. I realized he had no body heat, which I should have put together a while ago.

He looked around for a brief moment, and then jumped to the top of the twenty-foot building. I again held on to him, and buried my face in his coat this time. So many things that made me want to freak out were going on right now. I felt him laugh at my reaction, and was a little annoyed at how much I amused him. But I decided to shut the hell up rather than say anything.

As he moved from rooftop to rooftop, I cautiously glanced out from his coat. I recognized the street we were on, er, above. It was the wrong time to look out. He suddenly dropped from the building with frightening speed and landed without a sound. I didn't feel a crash when he landed which I had braced myself for. For the second time, he walk up to the steps outside the building, not seeming to want to put me down, which was fine. My friend dizziness was back, and we had grown so close this evening.

He opened the front entrance and walked up the stairs right to my door, without me ever giving directions. Because I couldn't get more creeped out tonight. I guess the door was still unlocked, either that or he unlocked it with some freaky vampire power. I wasn't about to rule anything out at this point.

He walked into my kitchen and turned on the light. Without touching the switch no less. He set me down on a chair at my small round table and sat down across from me, his knees bumping into my own from under the table, I automatically scooted my chair backward and it squealed horrendously on the floor. He placed his hand under his chin and watched me try to not fall off the chair.

After I had regained my balance that was eluding me on a four-legged chair, I looked back at him. I tried to think of something to say, all of which sounded stupid. I finally settled on one of the few questions that didn't concern him.

"So…they really were vampires?" Dammit that was a stupid question anyway!

"Yes. We had known about this operation for a while now, but only just found the location of it."

"When you say "we"…"

"Ah, now that I cannot tell you" he said in a compelling tone.

I was happy to let it drop when he spoke that.

I was scared out of my mind, but I still wanted to be around him for some unknown reason. Maybe I really am insane.

"It's getting late. No one will attack you for a quite some time while my scent is so strong on you." He got up and turned to leave.

"Wait, will I ever see you again?" My own tendency to be completely pathetic was just as amazing as most events that had happened to me.

"You should hope not." He replied without turning around

"What? Why?"

He looked back at me, eyes glowing attractively and terrifyingly at the same time. But his voice was gentle. "Because, if I see you again, you will be close to death. Either at the hands of a hungry vampire, or the hands of myself."

He spun on his heel and walked out the door, leaving me fearful from his threat and breathless from his beauty.

A/N: HERE COMES WEASEL! Expect my next update next week, or whenever the hell I feel like updating. I got 3 chapters out today but that's because snow days are deliccccious.

Oh yeah. Review and such, and then go read Marie's stuff, because she's better than I will ever be. Ever. At life. Ever ever ever. (She's gonna kill me for writing this, love Cannot Fathom a Penname)

Actual A/N: IM GONNA KILL YOU MARIE! i should have known better than to leave this with you. i dont talk about snow like it's sex, like you seem to. though you're a great beta. and im getting better you whore. i only got like 4 f- on this one so there.


	4. Return

A/N: I've murdered my beta and fed her carcass to my beta fish, for irony. At any rate, back to what's going on! Poor Pura. Now she feels rejected and scared.

I sat looking at the door for a long time after he left, feeling rejected. And scared. I sighed heavily and wandered to my room, where the light was already on. Too downcast or burned out to be paranoid, I flopped on my bed and lay, staring at the ceiling. A whirlwind of thoughts surrounded me, and carried me away with it. My God I had so many questions I'd never get answered. Death at his hands? Why would he kill me? And why had he saved me in the first place? Why hadn't he just killed me himself while I was unconscious and helplessly lying next to him? Now that I knew he was a vampire, why had he let me live? When his scent wears off will I be attacked again? And why did I want to see him again so badly?

At some point I fell asleep without my own permission, and Alucard was in my dreams.

I woke to the sun was shining directly into my eyes and immediately turned over, shoving my face brusquely into my warm pillow. I closed my eyes again and attempted to slip back into sleep.

. Then I remembered what happened last night. I shot up in bed, as if sitting up would help me figure anything out. I closed my eyes and concentrated on breathing evenly as I got up and moved to the kitchen, wondering if something would be there. Nothing was there to show what had happened, except and single chair pushed out of place. I don't know what I expected, but disappointment enveloped me when it wasn't there.

I had nothing to do. No school, because of the whole "I don't really want to spend my days in an orphanage" thing, and I didn't have to be at work until four. I glanced at the clock; 10:37. Fantastic. Five hours and twenty-three minutes to think thoughts that could drive me insane if I let them. I needed something time-consuming and mentally involved to distract me. Unfortunately, there's little that can take your mind off of near-death and vampire-related incidents, so my day was filled with constant inattentiveness and at one point, asking a squirrel questions. He did not help me, but instead tried to take my shoelaces.

After work, I went home (I had made sure that I had mace this time, though as an afterthought I realized that that wouldn't spare me from vampires) and kicked my door in. No one was there and I hurt my foot. Stupid, I was being completely stupid.

The next day went much the same, and I was getting bored. What else could I be after what's happened? And I really wanted to see Alucard again. I should get a mental evaluation; wanting to see a_vampire _who stated he might have to kill me. Good plan, Pura. Now I was talking to myself. Awesome.

On the third night after the attack, I woke up in the middle of the night. I rolled over in my bed and peered at the clock in my sleepy haze. It was a green blur of numbers in the dark. I flipped over on my other side to face the wall. Fascinating. I was able to see in the dark room after a few minutes, and watched my fish swim in circles on my dresser. I was lying still, trying for some reason to see a pattern in his swimming, when I saw movement from the corner of my eye. I sat up quickly and looked in that direction.

Someone was there.

I screamed and tried to get away, forgetting I was on and bed and fell off with a thump. Whoever was here walked over and stood next to me.

"Do you normally fall down this often?"

No way. No frickin' way. I'm definitely still dreaming. But it hurt when I fell... I guess I'm not. Alucard was back.

He was wearing the same outfit as before, but without the glasses or hat this time, giving me the urge to reach out and pet his hair.

At first I wanted to jump up and hug him; I had been longing to hear him again. Then I remembered his terms for coming back and once more found myself shaking in his presence.

I watched him, not speaking and wondering if I was going to die.

He stood waiting silently for longer than I could resist asking him something.

"Wh-why did you come back?"

He moved towards me, and I nearly shrieked, but he only put me back on the bed and turned the light on so I could see him. He then sat at the edge of the bed and started explaining as I wrapped a blanket around myself when I embarrassingly noticed I was in my pajamas, pajamas being my underwear.

Alucard slumped against the wall, and crossed his legs. He turned to me and smirked. "Were you waiting for me?"

I pursed my lips and looked away.

He chuckled, "You're a good indicator of vampiric activity."

"What do you mean by 'good indicator of vampiric activity'?" I asked nervously.

Alucard grinned menacingly. "Your blood smells good." He said simply. "You're basically a magnet."

I inhaled sharply and nearly choked on the blanket that I had begun chewing on absentmindedly. "What?!" I yelled, pressing back against the headboard, in an impossible attempt to run though it, the wall, and escape by a three-story drop. Why the hell am I a magnet? And if I am, does that mean he wants to kill me too? I couldn't ask any of these questions, I could barely breathe. Alucard didn't seem to notice or care about my fright, he just leered at me from the end of the bed, drumming his bony fingers on the wall.

"Vampires can go unnoticed for some time, but checking every crime scene for a vampire's scent would take up far too much time, and until signs are recognized as a vampire's, we can only assume the murders are done by humans. There has been a pattern of attacks leading to this general area, and it seems they've noticed you. So I was told to check here from time to time in order to see if a vampire has killed you or is lurking around to try."

"So you're telling me that I'm gonna be attacked _again_?"

"It's more than likely." He replied. Apparently he was fine with this fact.

"So I'm bait?" That was the most terrifying and depressing thing I've discovered all day. Or maybe this week.

"Well I will attempt to prevent any harm to you."

Oh. Good. 'attempt.' That was reassuring.

I relaxed slightly at his half-hearted assurance of protection and moved away from the headboard the pattern of which was now probably engraved in my back.

"So…"

"So?"

"Are_all_ girls besides Integra as skitzy as you?"

Wow, thanks.

"Who is Integra?"

"Hellsing. Ever read Dracula?"

"Not exactly in my repertoire."

He glared at me, "So you have no understanding of a vampire what-so-ever?"

I shook my head, and looked back up at him warily. He sighed disappointedly.

"Vampires can't go out in sunlight, touch silver, go in churches, touch holy things, we can't eat or touch garlic. Integra Hellsing is the descendent of Abraham van Helsing who captured and enslaved Dracula. I _work_ for Integra as an assassin for vampires." He finished quickly, and stared at me expectantly. "Comprehend that?"

"Umm…yeah."

My mind once again bombarded me with various questions, and if I didn't ask at least one on them I might have exploded. Unfortunately I had a tendency to blurt really stupid things out.

"Then you're like a…'good' vampire...?" Oh I'm such a stupid ass.

He laughed. "I wouldn't exactly call me that."

"Then what would you call yourself?"

"Monster?" He supplied unhelpfully. Because that's totally not contradicting the explanation I was just given. He laughed, "You'll learn." Dammit. You and your damn thought reading. He chuckled lowly again.

His pleasant laughter calmed me down enough that I asked more questions. I think most of them were pretty damn stupid. But don't blame me, I had absolutely no idea what was going on. This was happening a lot lately.

"Vampires really drink blood...?"

"Of course."

"And…so do you?"

He laughed again and smiled, his fangs catching the light and gleaming causing me to withdraw slightly. "Yes, yes I do"

"But how do you….?" I wasn't exactly sure how to phrase it, and I_really_ didn't want to make him angry with me.

Apparently he understood what I was trying to ask and reached into his long coat, if reached was the right word. More like, 'a black shadow from his side rummaged through his coat and presented a bag of blood to me.' The sight of it made me feel a bit ill. I must have looked uneasy because he put the blood back and chuckled darkly. I wonder how it felt to be around a constant source of amusement, 'cause from my angle it sucked.

He winced visibly and I raised my eyebrow. He pointed to the window behind him. I moved my head to look into the sun rising outside of my window. I gasped and hopped out of bed. "Get into the closet!" I tugged on his coat sleeve and he just looked at me like I was a complete idiot. I seemed to be getting a lot of that lately. "I thought you said…vampires…couldn't go…." I trailed off and sat back on the bed, wanting more than anything to throw the blanket over my head.

"You will find that I'm not your average vampire." He glanced across the room at the clock, "You should go to bed, you didn't get much sleep."

"Erm… I'm not so sure I can sleep with you here…"

"Well I suppose you'll need some help then."

Smiling wickedly, he reached out and grabbed my shoulders, thumbs skimming the sides of my neck before I could jump away. I watched him tensely as he lowered his face until it was inches away from mine. His eyes started to glow bloody crimson as he gazed into my own. My heart raced from his close proximity to both my face and neck and my breathing became uneven. But only for a few moments. My mind grew hazy and I couldn't look away. It was getting harder to keep my eyes open. From somewhere far away, I heard Alucard's low soft laughter once more before I fell asleep.

A/N: And my secret typing echoed down the silent halls all throughout the night.

This chapter makes me nervous, I'm sure it's not the best chapter I've written, but it's rather important.

Tune in next week for next week's weather! Er, chapter. The surface meaning of the title will be revealed! Huzzah! I owe much to my hated beta, cannot fathom a penname. She's pretty much a box of chalk hearts


	5. Is That A Tattoo On Your Back?

A/N: hurrah! Another chapter! Yea so I finally caved in and told my friendly neighborhood beta the story plan, so she knows all the spoilers now. I'm a bit pissed with this because I liked messing with her about the goings on and such. Grrr. By the way, I love me some reviews. ARE YOU READY TO SORT OF KNOW WHY THE TITLE IS WHAT IT IS?! YEAAAAAA! I'm the caps lock bandit.

When I woke up, I felt like I had been drugged. I suppose that's just the side-effect of being hypnotized by an immensely powerful vampire. Though I guess it's better than being killed by said vampire. Since I fell asleep so late, and he had put me in some freaky trance, it was 3:45 when I woke up. I had to be at work in fifteen minutes; Alucard, you've made me late.

Returning home came with a severe lack of vampire attacks. I wondered when Alucard would come back, or if he would. At about a quarter to midnight I decided he probably wasn't gonna show up tonight, so I got undressed and jumped into bed. Turning on my iPod, I flipped onto my stomach, covered up to my waist in a blanket, and sang along with the song. I left the lights on so I could read. Now, I'm no great singer. I refuse to sing in front of anyone except my fish, and his little fishy ears can't tell the difference between a gorgeous aria and my high-pitched squeaking, thankfully for him.

So you can imagine my surprise when I found I had an audience after all. He had such a talent for freaking me out beyond all reason. He was sitting on the far edge of my bed, leaning against the wall like last night. I was embarrassed on so many levels right now. I tore the headphones away from my ears, whipped them at him as a distraction, and pulled the blanket over myself, as if he wouldn't be able to find me from my disappearing act. I should really go get some real pajamas if I'm going to have creepy men sneaking into my bedroom every night. Err, vampire.

"How do you _do_ that?" I asked

Alucard just grinned.

I shifted nervously and decided to ask him the question that had been bothering me since last night.

"Alucard…"

"Yes?"

"If my blood smells good to vampires like you said…does that mean _you_ like the smell of it too?" I regretted asked it immediately, for fear of how he might reply.

Smirking, he got up and glided toward me. I drew back, but I really had nowhere to go, and I'd never outrun him. On a side note, it was much too cold to jump out my apartment window in my underwear. Plus, there were creepier men outside then him. Imagine that. Reaching toward my neck, he tilted my head upwards and leaned in. His other hand wrapped around me, ensuring I wouldn't get away I guess. His eyes closed, he was so close I felt his nose graze my neck as he breathed in. I don't think my heart had ever beaten so quickly, yet I was frozen; well, frozen except for the trembling.

He moved back, laughter shaking the bed.

"Does that answer your question?"

I couldn't answer. I _was_ scared, but below that I was blissful; he had been so close to me, even if he just wanted to freak me out. I had, by this point, fallen for him, fallen flat on my face hard enough to break my nose. I wanted to deny it, it was so stupidly dangerous and I was certain he'd never see me as more than an amusing but helpless and stupid human girl. Not only that, but how old was he? Even if he was only as old as he looked, such a pairing would be frowned upon. If that wasn't enough, he was way out of my league.

"Pura, I have a question for you now." His smooth voice interrupted my mind wandering into the lands of self-pity and I looked up quickly.

"Yeah?" I said, caught off-guard.

"Is that a tattoo on your back?" Ohhhh damn. That. The huge image of a demon's black wings that stretched down my back, the clawed tips of the last bone on both wings just barely wrapping around my sides at the waist. He must have seen it when he first came in while I was flipped over and unaware of his presence. By his tone, he obviously already knew the answer.

"Eh…it's conceivable." Damn Pura, your evasive tactics are as sharp as a knife.

"Aren't you a bit young for something like that?" he asked, arms crossed and grinning.

"Not if you know who to ask." I was gonna have to pretend.

"Well, then you must have a high tolerance for pain to sit through something as extensive and well-detailed as that." It unnerved me that he thought I could handle a lot of pain. It also unnerved me that he was hovering over me, running his gloved finger along the edges.

"Take aspirin just before and it doesn't hurt so much." If he knew I was lying and was toying with me…

But he seemed content to leave the matter there. He leaned against the wall and resumed watching me, to see if I had more questions for him. Of course I did. I have no idea where I found the courage to ask him, but somewhere I did.

"You can hear my heartbeat, can't you?" It would certainly explain why he smirked when my pulse quickened every time he moved suddenly.

"Of course I can, you ridiculous girl. I wouldn't be a very good predator if I couldn't hear human's heartbeats, would I?" he replied, grinning and showing his fangs, but this time all of his teeth were pointed. I leaned away at his choice of words ("predator"… his use of word made my blood freeze) and his terrifying new show of fangs.

He chuckled as fear-fueled adrenaline made my heart race.

"Now I will once again insist that you go to sleep." He said; half a smile a ghost on his pale lips.

I looked at the clock; three a.m.

"Do you need some assistance again?" He moved closer to me, and I remembered the effects of the last time he knocked me out. Getting yelled at by my boss and not having a viable excuse. I had about three colleagues addicted to sleeping pills, and yet they get in on time.

"No thanks, you're worse than Nyquil." Another guaranteed scolding by my favorite boss. Also my least favorite boss.

I lay back down and tried to get comfortable, which is difficult with such menacing company. I eventually closed my eyes, and started drifting off to sleep when I was vaguely aware of someone's fingers gently brushing my hair away to rest against the side of my neck.

A/N: my god it's 2 in the morning. My beta is going on vacation when I'll need her to review chapter 6. That skank. I'm going to discuss my story now. If you couldn't tell by Pura's nervous thoughts, there's more to that tattoo than I'm letting you know. Mwaha. Now I'm gonna go to sleep, my back hurts from sitting up like this with a laptop balanced on my knees.

B/N: Wow, Jen. You have a REALLY hard life, what with all that laptop balancing. You need a surgery? Maybe, if your back surgery hurts as much as my knee surgery did, I'll riverdance while you crawl down the street. Returning the favor to my dearest friend. Anyway, sorry people I respect, I was on vacation, then I lost the flash drive containing chapters five through seven, but I found it. Except my 'O' key is being a bitch. Damn pretzels. By the way, you should go check out my stuff & review. Then you should ask me to beta your stuff, because I enjoy it immensely. Thanks kids.

Cannot Fathom a Penname &/or MARIE!


	6. Power Outage

A/N: at the time I've started typing this, chapter 5 is still waiting to be betaed. Because Marie's got some "life" thing that she has. Loser. ARE YOU READY FOR MORE ADVENTURES?! Yes. Yes you are. Don't argue with me.

I won't bother you with my Alucard-less days, because I don't want to be bothered with it myself. The next night when I came home, I went to my room and sat cross-legged on my bed and tried to read as I waited for him to arrive.

Somewhere around eleven, the all of lights abruptly went off. I thought it was Alucard just messing with me as he seemed to enjoy so much, but after about twenty minutes without him showing himself, I figured it was a power outage. The problem was, there wasn't a storm or anything, so someone might have cut my power. That'd be so cool…

When I figured out my phones weren't working either, I started looking for a baseball bat or a crowbar. Finding neither, I got a bit panicky.

Alucard sneaking up behind me and whispering "Why are you hiding in the dark?" In my ear did _not_ help the situation at all.

I jumped away, tripping over a table in the darkness; Alucard catching me effortlessly and, of course, laughing at my lack of balance.

"So, is there a reason that you have all the lights off? Or are you trying to train yourself to stop falling down so much, because you need more practice."

"Actually I think someone cut my power and phone lines…" I answered, nervous at the idea.

"It is strange… other lights are on in area…"

Damn! It _is_ just my place. I knew he didn't stay here all night, and when he left whoever murdered my lights would come after me. I looked to the side and tried to think where I could get a weapon at this time of night.

He must have noticed my worry.

"Do you want me to stay over all night?" he offered, he didn't seem annoyed like I thought would be.

"Well…if it's not too much trouble…" I didn't want let him know how much I wanted him to stay.

He smiled, not fooled by my façade.

"I'll stay, but I need to run back to get blood." Wait…did that mean if he got hungry around me he'd come after me?! As if I didn't have enough things to worry about around him. Still… if he left, I'd be defenseless.

Again, as though feeling my apprehension, he asked something that caught me completely off guard.

"Would you rather stay over at the Hellsing estate with me?"

I was shocked. I never thought he'd want me to come home with him, and the fact that I've earned his trust enough to be allowed to see this secret organization's headquarters made me want to hug him. I ran out to get my toothbrush, a small hairbrush, and iPod, fitting everything in the pockets of the jacket I figured I needed; stumbling through the darkness as I went.

When I got back, Alucard put his hand out to me.

"Well, let's go." He said simply.

I took his hand and he startled me by swinging me around onto his back. I immediately locked my arms around his neck and he laughed.

"Didn't I tell you before? I won't let you fall." As he said this, I noticed the black shadows that were wrapping around me and holding me tight to him. If that wasn't freaky enough, he started walking to leave, but he was heading straight for a wall.

"What are you doing?!" You will never win a game of chicken against a wall.

He chuckled and moved _through _the damn wall with a sickening rushing sensation.

"You get used to it" he said, still laughing.

Then I noticed that…we weren't on the ground. I can't take much more of this tonight.

I tried to bury my eyes in his coat's collar, but in my panic, missed and hid my face on the back of his neck, his hair on my face. And I found I was right in assuming that it was insanely soft. It didn't seem to bother him.

He floated to the ground and began to run, and it was a few minutes until I could look up, and as soon as I did, I fearfully resumed hiding my eyes in his hair. Alucard ran at such and insanely fast speed; we passed cars diving full speed on the highway, going by so fast the drivers didn't even notice us. And even with carrying me at this inhuman speed, Alucard seemed to be simply taking a stroll in the park.

After about half an hour of Alucard running with me secured on his back, he murmured to me "Look, you should be able to see the mansion." Wait, 'mansion'?! He lived in a mansion?! I looked up, and sure enough, a huge house was coming into view.

"Wow…" I couldn't think of anything else to say.

He finally began to slow down as we approached the house.

"Oh, by the way, you're going to meet my master."

"Huh?!" the thought terrified me; Alucard followed her orders.

"Don't be so scared. Integra's not going to bite you. That's just me" what reassuring words.

As I panicked, Alucard walked calmly up to the front gate, and the guards positioned there jumped aside. The fact that military personnel were scared of him too wasn't a good sign.

The mansion was more well-lit than I'd expected, but it still creeped me out with its resounding silence. Two flights of stairs and endless confusing hallways later, we arrived at to huge wooden doors and he set me down outside of them.

"Wait here, I don't think she knew I was bringing you home tonight." Oh good, she wasn't expecting me to be here. More credit to the 'she might give the order to kill me' theory. Why are so many of my theories life-threatening?

Alucard disappeared into the room, and I sat outside, ordering myself to not run away; I'd never find my way through these halls.

Twenty minutes later he rematerialized and I jumped to my feet.

"Come on. Oh, and address her as 'sir'" he said, taking my wrist and pulling me through the wall.

I stumbled into the room, which held just a desk and two chairs in front of it. The blonde, intimidating woman sitting at the desk looked at me from behind her interlocked fingers. Admittedly she wasn't as scary as I thought she would be, but I still wished I had risked running away.

"So you're the one my vampire has been watching over." She said with a well-refined British accent.

"Ye-yes sir" I replied apprehensively. I thought about hiding behind Alucard, but realized he liked watching me freak out and would move aside rather than help me.

I must have looked terrified, because she put her hands down and smiled.

"You're around Alucard on a daily basis, and _I'm _the one you're afraid of?"

I laughed; she was right. And if she was making that a point, then I really doubt she was planning to have me killed.

"Alucard, take her to a guest room."

"Yes, Master" he bowed. "Come on." he said to me turned to leave.

Unsure of weather to bow or what, I hesitated. So Alucard rolled his eyes and picked me up.

Integra laughed as I yelped in surprise.

"Good night, Pura" she called

I was too busy twisting in Alucard's unbreakable grasp to answer fast enough before he walked through the wall.

"I can walk…" I growled after several failed attempts to get out of his grip.

"Oh I'm well aware. But if I put you down…then you can _escape_ too. And we don't want that, do we?" He said with dark humor.

"Obviously I'm not included in this 'we'. Now put me down you insane vampire." He knew I was just joking about the insane part. I hope.

"Well, maybe I don't want to let you go just yet." He purred, leaning down towards me, eyes glowing.

I struggled some more, Alucard's arms unmoving with absolutely no effort from himself, then gave up with a huff. I let myself go limp in his arms.

"You suck…"

He just laughed.

I realized we had gone down like seven flights of stairs; we only went up two.

"Um…how far underground are we by now?"

"About sixty feet down. One more level until we get to where you'll be sleeping"

"What, in some kind of basement dungeon?"

He smirked at me and my eyes widened. I don't think he's kidding. Fantastic. I'll be staying in the scenic dungeon.

I wondered if he was planning on letting me go at any point; I doubted it. I sighed and leaned my head against his chest, closing my eyes and letting my mind wander.

After a few more minutes of walking, he spoke.

"We're here…are you asleep?"

I opened my eyes quickly and looked up "No, I'm okay." The truth was, the almost gliding motion of his walking combined with the feeling of his arms wrapped protectively around me had lulled me about twelve seconds from sleep.

Alucard had carried me into stone-walled room, a small candle casting a flickering light. Because this place couldn't be creepy enough.

"And this is solving my light problem how..?"

He chuckled slightly and continued to walk, bring into a view a huge bed. I've never seen anything look so comfortable in my entire life, though my opinion could've been biased by my extreme tiredness.

I was only pretending not to be drowsy, and I really wanted to leap into that bed. But I didn't want to run away from Alucard, either.

Luckily he brought me over to the bed and set me down. I fell back onto the pillow after wriggling under the blankets. I realized that I had leaned my head back, fully exposing my neck. I opened one eye to see Alucard reaching forward, lightly touching my throat with two fingers; feeling my pulse. I didn't make any move to stop him. At first, I thought he might bite me, but after a while, he moved his hand back.

"Good night" he whispered and blew out the candle as he left. I fell asleep almost instantly. I slept more soundly that night than I had for the last week.

A/N: I DEFY YOU TO HAVE A SEXIER SCREEN SAVER THAN I DO!

I think I have a problem: there are now three sadistic men I think are sexy 1) Alucard-top of the sexiness and sadism pile 2) Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd-a sexy, throat slitting barber? Yes please 3) Dexter- now, I've only seen season one because I don't get Showtime, but he's pretty damn hot. And a serial killer.

Let's stop my fangirl rambling and get back to the story shall we? Yes we shall. Well I've completed this chapter without 5 being betaed at all. It's all Marie's fault. That skanky ho. Because of this, I've waited a day between 5 and 6. To make everyone who cares all impatient, only telling you this when it's too late. AHAHAHAHA! well i wanted to.

A lot of my chapters end with Pura falling asleep/passing out. Don't get all pissy, the story's kind of a night to night thing, because that's a much better place to end a chapter.

What I listened to while writing the last 4 chapters: MCR's album, black parade. Go buy it.

B/N: Ryuk: I'M NOT A DOG YOU ASS, NOW GET OUT HERE AND UNTIE ME!

Neighbor: LIGHT, SHUT CHA DOG UP!

Light: SHUT UP DOG! And don't wander too far or I'll have to shoot you!

I, Marie, listened to the Album Trainwreck by Boy's Night Out. It's effing amazing. Go buy it.


	7. The Vampire's Girl

A/N: my beloved readers, I beg your forgiveness. I've finished this with chapters 5 and 6 un-betaed. Please don't kill me.

What I've been up to: I've moved my turtle, Walter into a new tank. He seems happy.

Oh I love writing to the sound of rain.

It's Pura's first day at Hellsing! She's probably gonna get bored what with Alucard sleeping all effing day. Perhaps she'll call him a lazy ass! Perhaps she'll wander around and get hopelessly lost! Perhaps Walter will get drunk! TUNE IN TO FIND OU-HOLY CRAP DEXTER'S ON!

B/N: Jen, you're an asshole.

Upon opening my eyes I had no idea where I was or when it was. There was no natural light, and I thought maybe someone had kidnapped me again.

Then I remembered _where_ I was. The soothingly named basement-effing-dungeon.

Due to the lack of windows sixty feet underground, it was pitch black and there was no way to tell what time it was. I got up and felt my way along the wall to the light switch. Then I remembered there were no light switches. Goddammit, Alucard. I walked gingerly, hoping I wouldn't trip over anything. I failed at that, tripping over the bedside table, knocking it over and all the objects on it falling onto me. Luckily for myself, there was a piece of paper on it, giving me a paper cut. Ouch. I wish I could read it, but Alucard seemed to bypass the fact that he only left a candle and a book of matches. Ahah! Candle! I fumbled with the matches and finally lit one, and lit the candle. Thank God that adventure was over. I wondered what time it was. Unfortunately, there was no clock in the room. Then I realized I could have avoided all of this by using the light and clock on my iPod I had brought along.

Sighing at my own stupidity, I looked around the room for my jacket and found it sitting next to the bed. After rooting around in the pockets, I found my much-loved music player and looked at the time. 11 a.m. I guess I'll get up…

The main problem with my plan is: I have no idea what to do. Am I allowed to wander around all day until Alucard wakes up? When exactly will Alucard get up? One of us should have thought everything out before I got here. And I should have brought some clothes. All I had were my pajamas (I actually had some this time) and I wasn't gonna walk around in them till five.

I walked back to the bed and sat down.

"Damn it…" I growled at myself. Then I remembered the sheet of paper. Flopping over onto my other side to stretch toward the now up-right bedside table and found the paper.

I held my iPod over it, illuminating Alucard's neat cursive on the page.

'Good Morning'

What an asshole!

I stared around the room, not looking at anything in particular, when I noticed that there was a small pile of black cloth on the dresser in the corner. I walked over to it, and found it to be a pair of pants and a shirt. And they were my own. Had Alucard ran back to my house to get them for me? Aww that was nice of him…

I put on the clothes, thinking of a way to pay him back. But what could I do for a vampire that didn't include bodily harm to myself?

I opened the door and peeked outside. The hallway was lit so I quietly stepped into it. I looked around, finding steps going up to the right of me, walking up them as silently as I could. I wasn't sure why I was being so sneaky, but I felt that I should.

Glancing into every room whose door was open, I found that there was a disturbing lack of people anywhere; this huge mansion was empty.

When I looked around one set of large, heavy-looking doors, I found the estate's library. I tiptoed in and curiously started looking at the books on the floor to ceiling shelves that were all over the room in rows and on the walls. After five minutes I heard the doors close and got freaked. Was I even allowed in here?! Shit!

I hid in one of the rows and listened to the footsteps go to the far side of the room. I began making my way to the doors. I opened the door and slid out of the room. Upon closing the door, it made a noise.

"Hey!" Came the surprised voice from the room. Of course not nearly as surprised as I was, jumping skittishly and taking off in the general direction of the room I had slept, not looking back until I was two floors back downstairs. No one had come after me and I sat, panting on the marble floor.

"Jesus…" I said to no one in particular. Ok so I guess I'd rather stay down here than face the wrath of whoever else is upstairs. Maybe he made Alucard so damn scary.

I recognized the fact that I was completely lost, and really wished Alucard had included a map when he put my clothes in the room. I crossed my arms, still sitting on the ground and tried to figure out where the hell I was.

"Who are you?!" Interrupted my thoughts, a different voice than the one before.

I snapped my head up to see two military guys, guns pointed right at me.

"Uh…" I stammered. Pointing an automatic rifle at an inattentive person is not the best way to jog their memory. Alucard, re-proving his ability to be an asshole by not warning _anyone_ that I'd be here.

Two minutes later I was handcuffed and being led down the vast hallways with the barrel of a gun in my back. All of this for a sixteen year old girl? That's a little bit insane if you ask me…

They took me into a small room where several more soldiers were sitting around, some of them playing cards or chatting. They all shut up when we walked in and looked at me causing waves of self-consciousness to attack me. I would have backed away if not for the gun making an imprint on my back. I was forced along up to another guy (their sergeant I assume, for that's how they addressed him.)

"Sergeant, we found this unidentified girl in the hallway on the third-level basement. What kind of action should we take?" The man in front of me asked.

The higher ranked guy was about to talk, when someone in the back cut him off.

"Hey that's the vampire's girl!" I dared turning around and saw one of the outside guards from last night.

"What?!" yelled the guy behind me, moving back and removing the weapon from my back.

"Oh shit, you guys fucked up." I heard someone mutter.

Was there anyone in this place who wasn't afraid of Alucard...? I answered my own question by glancing into the frightened faces of the men around me.

One of the soldiers unlocked the handcuffs and looked at me nervously. Ok, so now they were afraid of me. Nothing is making sense and I've only been awake for like three hours. And in those three hours, I really wanted some cereal or something…

The sergeant looked at me, "Please excuse my subordinate's actions."

"Uh….yea sure it's alright."

The two officers that had originally captured me sighed in relief.

"You two!" he barked at them "Take her back to wherever she was!"

"Yes sir!" They yelled in unison, saluting him. Why did people in the military always have to scream, I mean, the person is right the in front of you. It seems more disrespectful because you're shattering the poor guy's eardrums.

We left, the men walking in lock step on both sides of me. It was really strange; these guys who just arrested me are now escorting me back to the spot where I was trying to will a detailed map into existence. Neither of them was looking at me either. Are they seriously afraid of me because I hang out with Alucard? What did that guy call me? The vampire's girl? That's a cool nickname…

"How do you stand it?" one of them asked

"Huh? Stand what?"

"Being around that vampire all the time. He's a damn monster."

"Oh. Yea he told me that. But…I don't know, he's pretty nice. He likes to scare the hell out of me but he's not so evil." I remembered happily how kind he had been last night.

"Wow…for someone alleged to be a vampire magnet you're pretty brave to stay around him now."

"What do you mean 'now'?"

"No one told you...? Sir Integra told him last night that it's his decision of what to do with you."

"Wait…wasn't it always?"

"What? No. He's not permitted to kill humans unless under Integra's orders."

HE WASN'T ALLOWED TO KILL ME BEFORE AND NOW HE IS?! I am so completely screwed.

"Well we have to get back to our patrol." They wasted no time getting away from me. Which means I was alone with the fact that once Alucard woke up, he was almost certainly going to eat me.

For the next two hours, I wandered around, probably in circles, still wishing for cereal. With a place this big they should have a Jambi lying around. I saw maybe four people, all military personnel who looked at me warily without saying anything and kept their distance.

I check the time again, 4:45. I had no clue to the sleeping habits of vampires, and hoped Alucard chose to sleep in.

It was no more than twenty minutes later that two arms wrapped around my midsection, pinning my arms to my sides and I heard a terrifying hiss, feeling Alucard's cold breath on my neck.


	8. Monocles Are Funny

A/N: I SAW HELLSING 4 IN THE CHAPTER 7 AND 8 GAP! MY LIFE IS FULFILLED! Hellsing 4 summary: Alucard equals sexy beast plus scary as hell

I'm so glad the last 3 chapters are finally betaed, that lazy skankwad, which word keeps trying to correct. I should get on with the writing. Yea. Anyways…what to say about the end of 7?...oh I think I got it: OH SHIT!

B/N: Haha…Word tried to correct skankwad as skunkweed. Is that a real word really?

A/N2: TEH RAGEWED!

I screamed and tried to run, black converse squeaking pointlessly against the marble floor, but he lifted me up against his chest. I felt him move closer to my throat, and struggled uselessly in his grip. He was gonna kill me! I thought he was just starting to like me and now he was gonna kill me!

Then he moved his face back and his grip loosened.

"Pura? I'm not really going to bite you… Calm down" he said, slightly alarmed at my reaction.

I looked up at him; Alucard was looking at me with concern in his eyes.

I couldn't speak yet, I could only tremble helplessly.

"Someone told you what Integra said, didn't they?"

"Y-yes."

Anger flashed across his face, but it wasn't directed at me. A gentler feature quickly replaced the anger and he turned me around so I could see him, or his chest, at least, without hurting my neck.

"I'm sorry. You weren't supposed to find out about that. I suppose it was one of those idiots some people call soldiers." He let my feet barely touch the ground, but still held me; I was too scared to stand by myself. "Don't think Integra has anything against you, her decision was more from concern of your age and everything you know. To be honest she'd rather not see you killed."

I'm not sure what possessed me to ask my next question.

"How do you feel about it?"

He paused, then sighed.

"I of course would be lying if I said I didn't love the smell of your blood. But I do enjoy having you around." His arms moved from their previously restraining hold to a more protective embrace, and I leaned my head against him, closing my eyes, listening to his gentle voice, and trying to stop shaking so much. "Pura, you know what I am. I'm commonly referred to in human culture as a monster because I _am_ a monster. I've killed countless numbers of your kind, for food and simply because I wanted to."

Somehow, even as he was speaking of his enjoyment of seeing people suffer, I felt more at ease around him. I don't know why, but I still wanted to be with this vampire, though I was in more danger from him than any other, because no one would do anything if he decided to kill me. The thought of him trying to kill me again made my blood freeze and I had to start calming myself down all over again.

"Are you alright?" He murmured.

"Yea…I think so." Truthfully I had no idea whether I was alright or not.

He set me down, but kept his hand on my shoulder, unsure if I could stand yet. I was still a bit shaky, but I regained my balance quickly.

"Well if you're up to it, I'll take you to see a friend of mine."

"Huh? Who's that?" I had relaxed now, and remembered the fact that I had nothing to eat for almost twenty hours. I didn't want to say anything to Alucard, in case he wanted some breakfast too. I knew he just explained that he probably wasn't going to kill me, but I'm a paranoid person. Alucard started walking forward; his hand still on my shoulder, leading me along.

"His name's Walter, he's Hellsing's butler. He's worked here for a quite a while by human time." He stopped walking and looked down at me. "You haven't had anything to eat all day, have you?"

"Oh, um…no I haven't." My mind had a habit of coming up with really bad things that could happen; here I suggested to myself that he could grin, take hold of my throat and growl 'Neither have I.' Then chomp down on, what I've heard, is a most delicious snack.

Luckily, he did nothing of the sort.

"Well I'm sure we can find something…"

He walked through a wall to the right of us, pulling me along with him. Wow…had he planned this? Because the room was obviously a kitchen.

If he had planned this, getting here was as far as he planned, because he had no idea what to do.

"Hmm…what do human teenagers like...?" He asked himself, so quietly, I could hardly be sure he said it at all.

I stood quietly, not know where anything was, and it seemed like Alucard was trying to figure that out too.

"Why don't I just take you back home? Your fish must be feeling abandoned anyway."

Why the hell would a bloodthirsty vampire give a damn about my fish?

"That works." I wonder if I'll be allowed back here…

"I'll bring you back here if you want." Damn it! More credit to the 'mind reading' thing.

"That works even better." Why pretend that I didn't adore being around him?

He chuckled at the admittance of my hopelessness, and picked me up, obviously making me yelp (I don't think I'll ever stop shrieking in surprise when he does that unexpectedly), which caused him to laugh more.

He started walking through the hallways, and soon we saw a soldier who upon noticing Alucard, looked like he wished _he_ could melt through the walls.

"You." Alucard said in a commanding tone, pointing at the quivering soldier with one hand while balancing me with the other, "Tell Integra that I'm taking Pura home, but we'll both be back later." The soldier saluted him quickly but nervously and yelled back, "Yes sir!" then walked away, his walk verging on a run.

Once the man was out of earshot, Alucard looked down at me.

"Soldiers. Talk to them in a threatening tone and they scamper. I love it." He chuckled. So it was true; He scared the soldiers on purpose. I laughed with him.

After going through those horribly confusing halls (how was he navigating around here without a map?!) we stepped outside with a blast of freezing air. It was just beginning to get dark, just dark enough so I couldn't see very well, but Alucard obviously could.

He swung me onto his back, earning yet another one of my surprised squeaks, and more laughing from him. Those unsettling black shadows wrapped around me again, but I still locked my arms around him. He started running and I hid my eyes in his hair (it's possible that it didn't just happen by chance this time).

After half an hour, I felt him jump, and that sickening Alucard's-just-gonna-run-through-a-wall-and-take-me-with-him feeling attacked me again. I looked up, and those freezing-cold shadows loosened and melted away from me, letting me down gently. We were in my darkened kitchen, but when the lights came on by themselves, I was alone. I immediately looked around, but no vampires were to be found, Alucard or otherwise. Damn it…he was gonna jump out at me when I least expected it, wasn't he? I decided to stay in my kitchen rather than wander through the dark rooms that had gone from regular house to haunted house in a matter of seconds. I hate haunted houses, I've always hated haunted houses, and even though I've been with Alucard, I will continue to hate haunted houses until the end of my days.

So instead of wandering through the house where a very tall, red-clad vampire was awaiting my arrival I heated up some pizza leftover from B-rated movie night with my friends.

After I ate my pizza, I knew I had to somehow get to my room, drop off my stuff, get a shower, and feed my fish without getting ambushed.

I came up with a plan, and I had all the components of it right there in my kitchen.

Now, I forget why I bought a clove of garlic in the first place, but I've had it for like three weeks now and I had no use for it. Until now. If Alucard decided he was gonna freak me out, he was gonna get an entire clove of garlic whipped at him. Mwaha!

I walked warily to my room, turning on the light to find no Alucard, still wielding the little…fruit? Is garlic a fruit? While I was contemplating this, I heard the swishing noise of his long coat, and threw the maybe-fruit in that general direction. I expected him to jump back, but it just bounced off of him. He looked at it for a moment, and then started laughing. I, however, felt really, really stupid. My stupidity was no longer an uncommon occurrence.

Alucard glided forward, and captured me in the circle of his arms.

"Did you honestly think that would work?" He purred, looking down at me, eyes glowing a frightening, beautiful, crimson.

"I had my doubts" I replied, scared but still somehow drawn in. My tactic may not have worked as well as I would have liked, but he didn't startle me quite as badly as he would have without it.

Alucard released me. "You came in here to feed your fish I presume."

"No" I said as I sprinkled some fish flakes into the bowl.

After I had plugged in my iPod to charge, I left to get a shower, but first telling Alucard that if he was in there when I got out, I'd beat him with the shower curtain rod. Bringing my pajamas with me (because even if he's already seen me in my underwear, it wasn't happening again by choice), I got a shower, trying to forget the fact that there was a vampire waiting for me in my room.

I peeked out from behind the curtain, no vampires. Good, I wouldn't have to beat anyone with a curtain rod tonight.

I got dressed without drying my hair, which I never do anyway.

When I walked back into my room, Alucard moved forward and wrapped his arms around me. Leaning down toward me, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. My heart raced; I knew it wasn't my brand conditioner that made him so happy. Then, for whatever reason, I leaned my head back, exposing my neck and praying he wouldn't actually bite me. He seemed to understand that, and it was only his nose that just barely touched and traced down my neck instead of his fangs sinking into it. I shivered when I felt his frozen breath on my throat, remembering that the last time he was this close to my neck, I thought that I was about to die. After a few moments he moved back slightly.

"You smell quite nice." He murmured, grinning as my heart reacted to the fear that fact still held for me.

"Must be the soap."

"Do you want to head back now?" He asked.

"Sure."

"Oh, you should bring your things with you; unless you don't want to spend the night again…"

"I do." I answered too quickly. Of course I wanted to spend the night. Being at Alucard's place gave me much more time to be around him than him coming here.

I grabbed everything I brought yesterday, but remembered to bring a change of clothes this time. Unfortunately, I didn't have room for an entire outfit in my jacket's pockets. I put my clothes on my bed and started hunting around for small bag. Alucard stood, leaning against the wall, hiding a smile as if I wasn't noticing something. I looked at him questioningly, and he just folded his arms and continued to watch me.

I glanced back at my bed to find…my clothes were gone. I heard Alucard chuckled from behind me. That ass; he watched me search for a bag and the whole time he had already picked them up, probably hiding them in his coat or something.

When I realized this, I glared at him, and he just laughed at me.

"Grrr." I said. He caught me immediately. Smiling wickedly, he growled back, but his was a truly frightening sound. I drew back as far as I could in his arms.

"Okay, I guess you win." I said breathlessly.

He tossed me onto his back, still laughing. I held onto him, shivering against his shadows. He stepped through the wall into the frozen air. It was pitch-black outside now, rendering me blind to everything except for the glow of Alucard's eyes as he glanced back at me over his shoulder before he took off and I buried my own eyes in his hair.

When he started running, I immediately wished I had taken the time to dry my hair, which had dripped water on and sufficiently soaked my jacket. I started shivering from the cold wind in a few moments, which Alucard felt. He stopped and pulled me off his back.

"I'm f-fine." I lied.

Alucard sighed. "Pura, you don't have to let yourself freeze for no reason other than your own stubbornness."

"Not stubborn…" I said under my breath, which I could see. Of course he heard me…

"Yes, you are." Alucard replied as he started taking off his coat.

"Huh? What are you doing?"

"Stay still and cooperate." He murmured as he wrapped his heavy coat around me, knowing it was pointless for me to even try to put my arms through the sleeves; the coat was just too huge. I was completely enveloped in his coat and he swung me on his back again, which I was nervous about seeing as how my arms were pinned down against my chest, palms on his back not only by the coat but also by his shadows. I couldn't hold on and tried to tell myself that there was no way that he would let me fall. I somehow got one of my arms free and tried to hold on, feeling Alucard laugh as I panicked.

After a frightening twenty minutes, we reached the mansion. And my hair was now sheathed in icicles. We walked in, Alucard's arm wrapped gently around my shoulders. The ice on my hair started to melt and the water dripped onto the floor. I worried vaguely if I was going to get yelled at for that, but I didn't worry for long…I was still freezing despite Alucard's coat's efforts to prevent this. Oh! His coat. I shrugged it off and handed it up to him. He put back it on and inhaled at the collar, smiling.

Alucard led me to a set of large wooden doors. The same doors I had walked into earlier today, the library. I also remembered how whoever was in there didn't much like my presence and I hesitated.

"Hm? Something wrong?" He asked in that low, velvety tone I loved. I loved it, but not its effects; I couldn't lie at all when he spoke like that.

"I wandered in here today and someone walked in and I think I made him angry…" See? Any other time I would have lied my ass off.

Alucard laughed. "I'm pretty sure he forgives you. Now come on you silly creature." I walked with him; he would have dragged me along if I didn't any way. Of course he refused to open the doors in favor of strolling right through them. He was wrong; I don't think I'll ever get used to this.

We walked into the library, and Alucard led me near the middle, where there was an open space with a dark red cushioned chairs and a desk with a computer. Which is where someone was sitting. He turned around, and he was wearing a monocle. Haha! Monocles are funny. Also he was like 80. Even his outfit was butler-esque. What did Alucard say his name was? Walter...? The only way he could be more butler-y is if name was Jeeves. Or Alfred. I tried really hard not to laugh as I contemplated this.

"Oh, hello Alucard." He said.

"Walter this is Pura. She's the jumpy little vampire magnet I've been watching over the past few days."

"Hi." I said quietly. He may have been wearing a monocle, but I noticed that quite a few people here have been hostile toward me and decided it was better to be wary than dead.

"Hello Pura. I presume it was you sneaking in here earlier?"

Damn! "Er…a bit." Okay, if I run Alucard will bring me back to watch me get yelled at…how should I distract him? Fortunately I didn't have to come up with a distraction right now (though I probably should think about it in case I ever needed to…steal his hat and he wanted it back.)

"Well I'm sorry if I scared you. It seems you really are as jumpy as Alucard said." Okay so maybe he wasn't an angry old man. Just old. I wonder how much more immature I can get today? But if he ever says, 'get off my lawn you rotten/dang/gosh-darned kids.' I will laugh until I pass out.

Just then the phone rang. Walter picked it up, listened for a moment, then said, "Yes, Sir." and hung up.

"I'll be back in a little while" He said as he left quickly.

"The longer I'm here the less I know what's going on. So what's going on?" I asked Alucard.

"I told you, he's the butler. That was Integra. He's off to make her some tea."

"That's weird…living with a butler. How do people get used to that?"

Alucard laughed and sat down on one of the red couches that were scattered about. Smiling, he raised one hand and made an obvious "come here" gesture with his index finger. I would never be able to resist even if I wanted to. I sat next to him, feeling a little shy; he had never actually invited me to sit with him. His arm wrapped around my middle and he pulled me towards him until I was right up against his cold side. This was so unexpected that I gasped and my heart raced; he heard it, chuckling quietly.

I looked up at him, to find he was watching me. He locked his eyes on mine and they started to glow. I suddenly felt tired. Then I realized what he was doing and as much as I loved his eyes, I didn't want to sleep yet. It was only eleven. I shut my eyes against his hypnotic stare.

"Ah! Don't just send me to sleep, its still early."

He sighed. "Don't be so difficult. You've had a stressful day, let's not add sleep deprivation to the list."

I didn't want to sleep, but the damage had been done; I felt exhausted. Defeated, I leaned against him, his arm still around me. I closed my eyes, but still fought sleep.

Soon I heard the door open again. Huh. Walter must be back.

"You knocked her out?" he asked

"Yes, it's the only way to get her to sleep comfortably around me."

He thought I was asleep. And considering the conversation that followed, I wish I had been. His arm disappeared from around me, I think he moved it through me, and he put his hand loosely around my neck and his thumb started tracing back and forth across my throat.

"I'm confused; I would imagine you to jump at an opportunity to drink her blood, yet you keep her around. You really don't want to kill her?"

Alucard laughed, not the pleasant laugh I was used to, but a sinister, terrifying laugh. "Did you forget who you're talking to Walter? Of course I want to kill her. Every moment I'm around her I want to kill her. I want to wrap my hand around her neck and watch the light leave her eyes as I crush her windpipe. I want to impale her, hear her splintering ribs and screaming chorus together. I want to run my bare finger across her throat, slitting it and watch her panic as she tries to stop her life bleeding from her when she puts her hands to her neck." Oh God. Oh God I have to calm down. If he found out I was awake he might decide to carry through with his wishes right now. He was still tracing across my throat too; he wouldn't kill me right here would he?! "But more than any of that, I want to bite her. To devour her. I want her blood to be mine." Don't start shaking. Please don't start shaking. If I start shaking he'll know I'm awake.

To keep from screaming I made a quiet whimper that sounded like a noise one would make in their sleep and shifted slightly away from him.

Alucard paused; I guess he looked down at me. "But…" he said. "There's something about her that outweighs all of that. She knows she smells incredible to me, yet she wants to stay around me. She's scared of me to an extent, but the fear she should have never seems to stay with her. After a few minutes around me she relaxes and shows how much she really trusts me. Sure, she shrieks when I pick her up, but more than once she's leaned against me and remained calm. She doesn't flinch away when I reach for her throat; she gets nervous, but never tries to get away. For some reason, I want to protect her more than I want to drink her blood. She loves to be around me, but is too shy to directly let me know how much. Oh I've figured it out, but it's fun to watch her try to hide her adoration when she slips up." Okay…I feel a little better with the fear but now I'm annoyed. I'm not that pathetic …Yes I am.

I felt his arms wrap around me and lift me up.

"I'll be back. I need to take her to bed; she'll hurt herself sleeping all bent up against me like this." Oh…I didn't even know I had been lying like that, but now that I'm not in immediate danger I realize I was so snuggled against him; I thought I moved away. I must have fallen back on him.

I was tired; I remember him walking out of the library, but I didn't make it to the room conscious.

A/N: HOLY EFF! DO YOU SEE HOW LONG THIS CHAPTER IS?! Well I'll tell you. This is page 7, and its 3,794 words long. Woot. And Microsoft word, "Woot" is totally a word. Don't even tell me it's not.

Agghhhh. I'm sick. I missed out on making cookies because I would just cough all over them. Influenza-flavored cookies. Awesome.

Now see what good can come out of freaked-up dreams? That whole "Alucard talking about killing Pura" was a result of Hellsing 4 sugar and sleep deprivation at a sleepover. But you should ask Marie about _her _Hellsing dreams. Right Marie? Isn't this wonderful dip? Deedleedee.

Don't do LSD before bed kids.

B/N: BWAHAH! MY HELLSING DREAMS ARE GREAT!

(Sitting at my kitchen table with Alucard)

Alucard: So what'dja get in the mail?

Marie: An acceptance letter to Dartmouth.

A: Did you even apply to Dartmouth? It's the summer before you're a Freshman.

M: Nope. But I guess I'm going to college.  
A: I'm coming with you.

M: You can't go to college, you're ANCIENT!

A: We'll see about that

2 weeks later, at a fraternity.

M: So I see you joined a fraternity.

A: HELL YES I DID, WHO'S UP FOR BODY SHOTS!?

Another? Alright!

(At a party in my backyard, for the Iscariot Nun who….is having a…baby shower. That's not cool. I stand there, watching Pip work the grill and I hear the gate door open (about 6 feet high) Alucard, flips open the open gate door as it's swinging and lands on the patio. Take a handful of generic cartoon chips, dips them in the dip the nun is holding, "You know, this is really wonderful dip."

Then, since Alucard the silly boy left the gate open, the ghouls that were slinking around my house come in through the door and eat a hole right through Integra's stomach. But apparently in my dreams, to turn someone into a vampire that vampire who is turning the person has to have sex with said person. And Pip and…someone else I forget are both jumping at the opportunity to go screw the broad and Alucard is like "NO! THIS, IS A JOB FOR ME!" But it was all Dane Cook-ish rather than Alucard-esque.

So anyway, they go upstairs and I come up like 20 minutes later, and knock and Alucard's like "Come in!" And they were sitting there reading Rolling Stone, though Alucard had no shirt on which was hot, and he's like, "I'm getting dressed, go away." So I leave the room and wait and he comes out and strides away with a polite cough. I look back in and Integra is wearing like bright blue boxers and a powder blue shirt with a rubber duck on it.

She stumbles out of the room and leans against the wall and goes, "DEEDLEDEE!" And is like, high. Henceforth giving Jen and I the saying, "Alucard is very professional about his love-making."

That's it. For now.

Anyway, wasn't Jen's cliff hanger beyond disappointing? Yes. I went forward in time so I could cry for many moons.

A/N2: YEA? WELL YOU CAN GO BLOW A GOAT!


	9. Movie Night

A/N: I'm currently coughing my lungs out, and popping cough drops like candy. If I ever find out who gave me this flu, I will tie them to a chair, glue their eyes open, and make them watch infomercials for three days, and every half hour, a polka band will just come in and beat the shit out of them. Yea so today I'm just sitting on the couch watching spongebob and cooking shows. Deviled eggs are effing disgusting. gags Ok let's move on. Oh….um…..I don't have anything else to say. Oh wait, yes I do. Hey look, the Scifi channel's playin some freaky alien movie this fine Saturday night, er, Sunday one a.m. oh look she's havin an alien baby. Aw boo she's cryin. SUCK IT UP, BITCH! Who the baby daddy? PROLLY THE ALIEN YA SCREWED! On a related note, I've one statement I'd like to make. Ain't gon be baby daddy gain'. The scifi channel Saturday movie marathons will come up in the story, because its convenient for me. Warning, mild spoilers for the scifi movie The Hamiltons. Fantastic movie by the way. It really is one of my favorite movies. Watch it. Now.

For the second morning in a row, I woke up in complete darkness. I fumbled around on the bedside table for my iPod. There must be a better way to see in this room, like, oh maybe, I don't know, **electric lights**? I found the candle and matches, lit one, and narrowly avoided a third-degree burn. After I set the candle in the holder positioned on the table, I went back to the bed and lied back down. I stared at the ceiling and thought about everything that had happened last night, more specifically, everything Alucard said in the library. Every way to kill me he described, he could definitely carry out with no problems. And he said that every moment around me was a temptation to him.

Then again, he liked the way I loved to be with him. My helpless devotion was actually a good thing? This was definitely something unusual.

Though, I suppose that constant danger was inevitable when hanging out with a vampire so insanely strong that other vampires feared him, and the fact that the need to protect me outweighed his desire to make me his lunch was a truly incredible thing.

As much as I would have loved to continue on this frightening yet somehow reassuring train of thought, it was really, really cold down here. I wriggled under the blankets and concentrated on not getting frostbite for the next few minutes. I checked the time; 10:24. I don't think anyone cared much how long I stayed in bed, so I burrowed my face back into the pillow and laid there in a dazed state of mind.

After a while, I got up and got dressed, finding my clothes that had mysteriously disappeared last night sitting on the dresser. I walked out of the room, being considerably less sneaky than yesterday. I started thinking about how I was going to spend my second day in this place, deciding on trying to formulate a mental map of this labyrinth of a mansion. Wandering around, I went about noting the layout of the floor I was on. It was almost impossible seeing as how this floor was nothing but stone walls and endless indistinguishable doorways. I climbed up a flight of stairs after discovering I had been walking in circles for the past hour.

I wandered around the floor until I found a kitchen. I hunted around until I found some cereal. Wow…a vampire-hunting organization stocked Lucky Charms. What the hell...? Of course it would reduce me to hysterical laughing if I found Count Chocula. Really I would have laughed so hard I would have fallen over, cracked my head off the counter and passed out, and when they woke me up I would merely resume laughing.

Operation 'Get Some Damn Cereal' complete, I continued my stroll around the estate.

A soldier walked around the corner and looked startled upon seeing me. Apparently my likeness and link to Alucard had traveled quickly through the ranks. I waved at him. He proceeded to make a weird face I wasn't aware people could make and walked away like he never saw me.

"What in the _hell_ is wrong with people?!" I growled, not caring if he heard "I'm a sixteen year old girl and they're trained effing _soldiers_!" I was pissed; so now they're not even gonna acknowledge my existence? I wanted to kick the wall, but it wasn't my wall and it looked expensive.

I angrily left hall to find a different floor. I decided to hold a grudge against that guy and resolved not to even be on the same altitude as him if I could help it.

I made my way up two more sets of stairs, then realized I had completely forgotten my original plan of creating a map when that dumbass ran away from me. Who hires these people? Well fine. If they're gonna be skitzy, I wanna see some mass-skitzyness. Where is that little soldier-clubhouse that they took me to before? Where am _I_?

I sat cross-legged on the floor and tried to remember where their…barracks, I guess, were. I also tried to look annoyed, I'm not sure why. I should probably just go ask someone…but I've barely seen anyone who isn't a soldier and asking one of them would ruin the surprise. Who could I ask….who could I…WALTER! Now where was that monocle-clad drunkard? I have no idea if he was drunk or not, but it'd probably be funny if he was. He strikes me as someone who would be really funny to see drunk.

I wandered around until I found the telltale doors of the library, which I should start calling the Walter lair. I don't know why I was making up a background for Walter that was probably completely untrue, but it was interesting enough. Maybe he was responsible for the half-eaten box of Lucky Charms. I walked in and started searching around for Walter in the vast library-err, Walter lair.

"Waaaaaalteeeer." I called. Why was I so hyper today?

"Yes?" he said, popping out of nowhere.

I jumped "You're as bad as Alucard!"

"Sorry." I don't think he really was.

"Anyway…where is the soldier's barracks? I wanna freak them out by showing up there."

"It's right over…would you just like a map?"

"You actually have a map?" So they _do_ exist.

"I will in a moment." He walked to a computer and printed out like, three-thousand sheets of paper. "This is all of the floors, including the basements. The locations are marked, as are the level each paper is."

"Wow, thanks!" I said as he handed the papers to me.

"You're very welcome."

I skipped out of the lair, not checking back to see Walter looking quizzically back at me. I assumed that's what he was doing anyway, he's like those old men waving canes, 'Damn kids better get out of my lair!'

This map was great, I found the barracks easily. I hope I don't get shot. No wait, they were afraid to arrest me, let alone shoot me. Unless they're really jumpy. And don't keep the safety on their guns.

Eh whatever.

I walked silently up to the door. Being hyper, I put my back to the wall like some kinda spy, humming Mission Impossible. What's wrong with me?

I straightened my shirt, and walked in, looking as intimidating as possible. It must have worked because the entire room of soldiers, about thirty of them, who had previously been talking loudly shut up immediately and looked at me with wide-eyed, freaked out expressions. One guy in the corner shuffled and put something behind his back. Sneaky. I looked slowly around the room, arms crossed and with an angry expression for a few more moments. Then I relaxed and put my arms down.

"Alright, I'm bored with this."

"What?" one of them said.

"Yeah this fails to amuse me." They exchanged unsure glances. There was a group of them playing cards. I wandered over. "Whatcha playin?" I asked.

"Uh…Poker." One of them answered nervously. The rest of the room had begun to talk again, but a little more quietly than before. I'm pretty sure I was the subject of conversation for some of the discussions; I heard my name several times.

"Who's winning?"

"Frank is, I think." He said, pointing to a guy at the other end of the table with a stack of poker chips near him.

One of them found some courage. "Do you want to join?" he asked.

"Sure." I had nothing better to do.

I sat down and someone chucked some chips at me. They hit me in the chest and I frowned. They scooted back and I shook my head, what kind of vampire-killers _were_ they?"

After a while they stopped being all freaked started actually talking to me like normal people instead of trained soldiers scared of a girl who skipped here. I learned their names: Frank, the guy who was previously winning, Todd, the guy I talked to first, Nick, the guy who invited me to join, and Dave, the other guy who didn't say anything. Loser.

"So why is everyone so spazzy when I walk by? I mean, I know about the whole 'Alucard is a scary boy' thing but what did I do?"

"Well, it's not you specifically, but the thing is, Alucard would probably get pissed if he found out about how we arrested you. He'd make our lives a living hell. He did it before, just to mess around, but if he was actually angry about something we're all screwed." Nick said.

"I'm not gonna tell him. But you're probably right…he'd get pissed." Two pair. I win this round again. Frank is no longer winning. Next time we should play with actual money, I'd be effing rich. Really, I'm up like $300.

"He'll be looking for you soon by the way."

"Oh? Why, what time does he get up? And…why do you know that?"…that's awkward.

"He gets up around 4:30 every day. We figured this out so we know when to lie low. Like I said, he messes with us for fun."

I glanced quickly at my iPod; 4:27. I didn't want to keep him waiting…

"Hm. I guess I'll go then."

"Yeah don't lead him here" Todd said jokingly. I think he was secretly serious though.

I said bye and walked out, happy that I made some friends who I could destroy in poker. I wonder when Alucard will show up…

My question was answered with a hand curled loosely around my neck from behind me. I squeaked and he pulled me back towards him, wrapping his other arm around my middle. He bent my head back gently and I found myself looking into those incredible red eyes again.

"Good evening." He purred irresistibly, inhaling at my throat.

For the time being, I could only gasp. He chuckled quietly at my breathlessness and moved so he was next to me with his arm around my shoulders, holding me close to him.

"So what did you do all day?" he asked.

"Found out the soldiers suck at poker."

I wondered vaguely what day it was.

"What day is it?" I inquired.

"Saturday. What day do you have to go back to work?"

"Meh, Monday. I only work four days a week. It was the most they could do for a minor." If I worked more I could get more money, and as much as I hated my boss, I could annoy him more if I was there more. Also I'd be much more motivated to annoy if I had more money. See? It all ties together.

"Well would you like to stay over again tonight?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

I smiled to myself; it was hopeless to hide it. "Yes." I looked up at him. I almost jumped; he was far closer than I expected, bent only inches from my face, eyes glowing.

"Good." He whispered. His gloved finger traced lightly down the side of my neck; it tickled.

He straightened up and stood at his usual 'so-insanely-effing-taller-than-me' height.

"I'm curious; what do you normally do on Saturday?"

"Well I go out, to the mall or something, but I do like to watch the scary movies sci-fi channel plays every Saturday night."

"No malls. Let's watch a horror movie." He said, smiling slightly. I guess he figured out I have a low tolerance for scary movies, yet I watch them anyway. This should be interesting.

"Ok, but could you take me home quick first?" I needed a shower. The last thing I need is to skip showers around someone who I (foolishly) like.

"Of course." He said, swinging me smoothly onto his back. He started walking through the walls almost immediately, making me flinch every time.

"Huh? Wait don't you have to tell someone you're leaving?"  
"No, I anticipated this and told Integra myself." He chuckled "Be careful, I'm getting to know you better, Pura."

"Is that so much of a bad thing?" I asked playfully.

"For you it might be." He replied, smiling back at me, one corner of his mouth pulling up and showing a fang. He was just trying to freak me out by being so menacing, and it was working.

We unexpectedly (for me) walked outside and it was about ten degrees and snowing. I gasped and hugged him, forgetting that trying to warm myself by pressing against him would never, ever work. He laughed and I felt the shadows wrap around my shivering frame. For once, they were warmer than the outside environment. But not much warmer. I continued shaking and nuzzled against him, in a futile attempt to warm up. I thought something like that would annoy him, but he made a very quiet noise in his throat, not an angry growl, more like a content sigh.

Soon he jumped and moved through my bedroom wall. The lights came on; by themselves of course. He reached back and pulled me off. He held me against him, and his hand rested briefly against the side of my face. Then he moved away and let me go. He looked at me curiously for a moment, then looked away and laughed to himself.

"Don't let me stop you from scurrying about like you so often do."

I stuck out my tongue at him and he just laughed. I turned sharply away from him, letting my hair flip at him for effect. I walked out, heading for the shower when I noticed I forgot clothes. Damn it. If I went back that would rob any and all drama from my exit. If there was any to begin with. I decided to walk back in with a towel on and take clothes then. Though, walking into a room essentially naked, a room containing a vastly powerful and highly attractive vampire, was an unsettling plan. Oh well.

After showering, I found a large, fluffy towel and made sure I was sufficiently covered. I tried to mentally ready myself and failed miserably. Then I remembered I never unloaded the dryer and there were clean clothes in there! Hooray! Still I should be sneaky…

I tiptoed into the little room where my washing machine and dryer were. Leaning down and reaching into the dryer, I pulled out an outfit. I stood up, and noticed my wall had never been red. Or made of cloth. Nor was my wall usually an Alucard. I screamed and almost fell over.

"Damn it Alucard!" I gasped, putting my hand over my heart in surprise. I looked, wide-eyed at the vampire sitting on top of my dryer.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist a chance to terrify you."

I scoffed, crossed my arms, and looked away from him. I was suddenly startled again by arms wrapping around me from behind.

"Will you ever forgive me?" He murmured in my ear, his cold breath tickling.

"I suppose." I said breathlessly.

"That's good to hear." He chuckled and let me go, phasing out of the room through the wall.

"Grrrr!" I growled at myself. Then I got over it and got dressed.

I walked back to my room after checking the time, 6:04. Wow, it had gotten late. Well, that's alright. It's late enough that some good horror movies are just starting. I wonder what's on. I made my way to the last place I remembered leaving the T.V. guide. I checked the schedule. The line up for tonight was Monster Man, Gravedancers, and then The Hamiltons. I saw them all before, and it seems that sci-fi is playing a lineup of my favorite movies. The first two insured a night of high-pitched yelping and hiding my eyes from the image. The last one…well…it was a vampire movie. This might be awkward.

"Ready to go back?" he asked, sneaking up behind me once more.

"Yeah, sure." I followed him before coming upon the realization: "I forgot my stuff. That'd help." I turned to run back, and turning right into my vampire friend, who proceeded to imprison me in his arms.

"Oh, don't worry, I already have your things. Now come along." He bound me up in his coat and flipped me onto his back, yet somehow barely jostled me. I held on, and he almost immediately started running, after first securing me to his back of course.

We soon reached the mansion, and upon walking inside I started shaking the ice off of my hair.

I was still held tightly to Alucard by his shadows, and he walked through the halls seeming content to not put me down.

He walked into a room with a large flat-screen television in it and set me on the huge, fluffy couch.

"Wait here." He said and left, leaving me unsure of what to do in this silent room.

A few minutes later he reappeared without a sound, showing up sitting next to me on the couch watching me. He had a bowl of popcorn on his lap… It's odd just in the principle of the thing; a vampire making popcorn. Especially _him_ making popcorn. I had constructed an image in my head of him poking the microwave and snarling at it angrily. Why think of the more reasonable thought that Walter had made it and just gave the bowl to him?

"Here, I've been told humans like popcorn when watching movies." He handed the bowl to me and looked at the TV, which turned on as the lights went out. The first movie was just starting. Monster man is a rather gory movie, but funny in some parts.

Yes, I saw the movie before but I drew back and accidentally bent my face to the side in an attempt to get away from the gore, in doing so I ran into Alucard's arm. The thing was, I wasn't going to look up until that horrible noise signifying some mutilation had stopped. This happened again during Gravedancers.

"Awwww! Noooo!" I groaned into his arm. Anything having to do with slitting or eyes was something I could never handle. This time it was slitting. I felt Alucard laugh.

"Just so you know, that's not what a throat being cut looks like."

"Oh thanks that's reassuring." I said, my words muffled.

He chuckled and pulled me onto his lap. "You're such a squeamish little creature. Why do you go out of your way to watch this stuff if you hide whenever anything happens?"

I opened my eyes (the screaming on screen had finally stopped) and leaned against him, trying to think of an answer to his question.

"I…I don't really know why I like them so much…maybe I just like getting scared…a controlled scared, not actually in danger but still afraid. Or maybe it's because other genres of film are unoriginal and boring."

"Hmm…I think you're right. You enjoy fear. It would explain why you like being around me so much."

"You're not always scary…" He wasn't being scary now, as he occasionally picked up tiny pieces of popcorn and examined them. At one point he had popped one into his mouth and spit it back out onto his hand, wiping the sludgy yellow residue on the edge of the bowl. I eyed it. Attractive.

He sighed. "You don't know me very well."

"It doesn't matter if you're scary or not anyway." Why did I tell him that?! It was true, but now he's gonna know that I don't just _like_ hanging out with him.

I heard Alucard's low laugh, his felt his cold breath on my neck; I shivered and closed my eyes. I was amazed to find I had begun to get used to and actually enjoy this. Still a little nervous, but not terrified like a normal person would be if a vampire was at their throat. I guess Alucard noticed this.

"Mmm…" he hummed, still at my neck, amused for some unknown reason. Then his grip tightened around me. He wasn't hurting me, but I couldn't move at all.

Something touched my throat. His lips, smiling and icy were pressed against my neck.

I inhaled sharply, making a little noise and then stopped breathing completely and involuntarily. I was afraid to move. But then again…he wasn't biting me…in some twisted way of seeing things, he was kissing my neck. It was a crazy and idiotic thought, but it let me breathe again, the air returning to my lungs with a squeaking, gasping sound.

He moved back, his grip around me loosening and I opened my eyes. He gazed inquisitively and amusedly at me. I looked back, but probably with a much more wide-eyed, frightened stare. After keeping me captive with his eyes for a few moments, he looked away, shook his head, and laughed quietly.

I trembled again, this time from the cold (why was it always so cold in this place?) and pressed against a monster a thousand times more deadly than anything I would ever see in a movie with a sleepy sigh.

I looked back at the screen, The Hamiltons had come on. The vampire movie. I suddenly didn't want to watch this movie for some reason; the scene disturbed me, and it wasn't even bloody. It was a girl, held captive by the vampire family, chained up and crying. I used to like this movie, I never much liked this scene, but it had never unsettled me like this. Never made me so scared before. Maybe it was a flashback to when I got kidnapped. But something that really upset me was the one vampire brother who tried to save her, brought her food and water in the basement where his siblings held her. Why did that fact make my blood freeze? What was it that was so scary about that fact? Was it because he gives in at the end and kills her? Does he remind of Alucard? No, Alucard isn't denying what he is. But there's something… It's because he's trying to resist drinking my blood. Is this movie plotting out my fate? Maybe. But if this does indeed play out in this way, Alucard won't be ashamed or upset. He'll be happy…and full. My God that is a terrifying thought.

I looked away and whimpered, though I didn't mean to. Alucard noticed or maybe felt my fear like he seems to be able to do.

"Hm? What's the matter?" He murmured, holding me securely once more to him, and I thought I picked up some concern in his voice "Nothing violent is happening…"

"Oh. It's nothing, I'm…I'm just tired I guess." Okay, yeah, I lied to him. But I don't want to give him any ideas. And telling him what freaked me out would count as giving him ideas.

He smiled and moved me so I was lying down next to him on the soft couch and I found that I really was sleepy. It was like one, after all. I was curled up next to him, his relaxed hand just barely lying against the back of my neck. I was entirely at ease, secure even, as I lied next to a vampire who thirsted strongly for my blood.

As I began to drift off to sleep, I braced myself against the eternal coldness that hung about this entire house. Before I had been shivering for too long though, I felt someone drape a soft, heavy blanket over me. Deep down I was curious, but I didn't discover the origin of the blanket before the darkness of sleep pulled me down.

A/N: WHOA! This chapter is even longer than the last one! Does that make you happy you ungrateful bastards? I'm kidding. I love you all.

I killed my beta for realz this time. She's done something unforgivable. Ask our dear cannot fathom a penname for her offense. Punishment will be swift and severe.

Just so you know, that really is my favorite lineup of scifi movies, omitting 'haunted prison' and maybe 'saw'. Ooo can we throw the movie 'boo' in for the greatly acted line 'Arlooo! Do something!' does anyone know any of the movies I'm talking about? Ah good times.

The next installment shall be a musical interlude of sorts.

By the way, if anyone can guess at the meaning of "Ain't gon be baby daddy gain!" I will personally walk to your house and give you $500 and a pizza. NO HELPING, MARIE! Ok you want a hint? I'll give you 2. 1) it is indeed Hellsing related. 2) cheeze-it

4190 words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DAMN!

B/N: You're an effing cheezit, you're an effing cheezit, MAAAM, MARIE'S MAKING ME BE ANDEERRRSOOOOOOOOON.

Good times on snow days.

Arloooo dooooo someeethinngggggggg.

I was playing superbreakout when I heard that over the phone. Anyway, it's not unforgivable, kindly shut your noise hole.

I'll give you another hint, we made it up, so it's not an _actual_reference. So basically, it's Hellsing/Maury. I wanna see all your stories. Review and PM both of us of what you think the Maury/Hellsing crossover may be. (For those of you who don't know Maury, it's like Jerry Springer, and for those of you who don't know Springer, you can go blow a goat)

A/N2: well if your gonna reveal that much the reward is down to $250. you still get a pizza and a visit from Jen though. Because you all love me.

And oh it is unforgivable. I shant shut my noise hole, nor would I kindly do it if I was indeed going to.


	10. Musical Interlude

A/N: yaaay! It's raining! And no one else is home! A perfect writing environment.

A musical interlude?! Really?!

No. Not really. Not at all.

HELP MEEE! My German teacher's a pedophile. Seriously he's like raping me with his eyes. And he can't teach at all.

Ok let's get back to something you care about. These are Alucard's thoughts from the end of chapter nine, because I cannot help but to dash into the world of not Pura's perspective. Not a musical interlude like you were hoping for. Hey! I got an idea! Let's all come down to my house and watch Hellsing and Dexter. It'll be an avalanche of sexy/sadism. WOOOOO! I got the first disk of Dexter season one because the blockbuster people are idiots. Oh hey it looks like I strayed back into the lands of 'Jen we don't care'. I should write.

What a strange creature this girl is. She runs from a mere image, not even a well made mockery of bloodshed, seeking refuge against a real monster. She shivers with fear so perfectly…

How can she lie there, actually sleeping? Curled up; her dark hair is covering her neck…but her arms are drawn up; I can see the thin veins crisscrossing so close to the surface. It would take next to nothing to puncture her skin…

She's breathing evenly, unafraid. Of course, her breathing isn't the most prominent noise. That constant thumping of her heart, what a beautiful sound. And it would take so little to stop it. Just one little bite on her fragile throat. To feel her tremble in my mouth, screaming if I don't prevent her from doing so, her struggles weakening as I drain her life from her. Such a wonderful thought…

Oh. She's trembling now. Cold, I suppose. My, what a pathetic sight. She looks even more helpless than usual. Alright. I'll help you, you vulnerable, mouthwatering little girl. Here, you seem to like my coat. Though as to why I have no idea.

What would it take for this girl to run from me? Really, she's only tried to escape me twice, when she learned I was a vampire, and when she discovered I had full permission to kill her. Though the second time was more from surprise than true fear. But other than that, she's remained still around me, even when I breathe in at her throat. Even when my fangs were just barely separated from her neck, somehow she remained still. Oh yes, she was scared, but fear hadn't completely frozen her. And then she calmed down. Her heart stopped slamming so frantically. Lucky for her that she didn't run. I very well might have devoured her there if she had jerked away from me.

Why have I let her live so long? It has been ages since I've killed one as perfectly young as her. I could have devoured her hundreds of thousands of times by now, something that I think about constantly. And her blood has such a delicious scent to it _under_ her skin. If she gets cut, I'm sure the aroma would be almost impossible to resist, even for me. It was only by some marvel that her blood wasn't spilled when she was abducted by those idiot vampires. If she had bled then, she would almost certainly be dead; no new vampire would be able to resist that.

As I tend to do when I'm contemplating ripping her apart, I brushed Pura's hair away and placed my hand on her gently pulsating neck. Her eyelids twitched slightly. She woke, and stared sleepily at me, her pale blue-green eyes half-lidded. I could send her back to sleep, quite easily; she wouldn't even be able to fight it in her current state. But I wanted to see how she would react.

For a few moments she watched me, then she went back to sleep. She went back to sleep as a monster was not only thinking about eating her, but actually holding her by her unprotected, frail neck. She even shifted and exposed her throat further, unintentionally tempting me to pierce her skin and drink her blood. I traced my finger along the vein in her neck, wanting so much to slice it, spilling the blood on my finger, watching it drip down before feasting, and oh what a feast it would be.

Now that I think about it, I probably wouldn't stop at just drinking her blood. I'd devour her fully, maybe with my hellhound. She smells far too delicious to let her flesh rot.

A soft noise interrupted my thoughts.

"A…lu…card…" Pura. Has she woken up? No… she's still completely unconscious. Dreaming. Not a nightmare though, she's calm. I'm in something other than her nightmares?

Oh. I understand. Why she so desperately wants to be around me. Why she trembles with something other than pure fear when I touch her. Why she fights the terror her body demands her to have.

She loves me.

I see devotion in her eyes so often, but I see something she's fighting back underneath that. Fighting it back because she knows it's wrong. She knows it will get her killed. I've never been able to pinpoint what it was, but lately it's been getting closer and closer to the surface, more difficult to fight back, yet she had hidden her emotions. She may have even come to terms with this fact, but she would never tell me. I've never seen such a shy girl. How quick to betray her mind are her dreams.

This changes nothing. I still want to kill her. Taste her blood. Consume her life.

_I still want to protect her._

A/N: short I know. But what did you expect from a musical interlude. Let's move on. Hey, writing this way, does it make me a bit, like…effed up? I hope not.

Keep in mind that this isn't chapter 10. This is an inconsistency in my POV. I am compelled to skip around with my writing. I can't help it. Forgive me.

Damn it, Marie. Finish betaing chapter nine so I can post this thang for my faithful readers. All twelve of them. Because I feel that very few care. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't want to get my hopes up only to have them dashed on the sidewalk like so many tiny glass sculptures. OW ! My lips are chapped. _cause my lips are chapped and faded call my…_ sorry, MCR moment.

B/N: Sorry, Jen. I had to bleep out your eff word. We'd have to up the rating just for your author's note. And to that I say: Au contrare, Lumiere. And you stuff it, I sent this to you like a day after I got it. You just wouldn't give me this, don't blame it on me.

And you're really overestimating. You have 4 readers. 2 of them being me.

CALL MY AAAAAAUNT MAAAAAARIE, HEEEELP HER PAAACK UP ALL MY THIIIIIIIIINGS, AND-

Sorry, MCR moment. You should've seen me at this party I was attending last night. Helena came on while I was eying the chocolate fountain and my friend Avery stuck her finger in it, and I like squealed really loudly and ran to the dance floor and was screaming it. I was really excited. Anyway, go look at my stuff, Mmkay?

A/N2: I had the eff word in my story before…

And did you squeal like Jesse would have had he continued to not shut his noise hole?


	11. Wandering Aimlessly

A/N: ok if a giant snake movie is gonna be scary, the snake should like eat people, right? No, this dumbass thing just bit people. Loser! On top of that you barely even saw the damn snake. It was like half a second so you couldn't see the shitty CGI.

Shall we continue? Yes. Yes we should.

Oh hey I lied I'm still gonna yammer uselessly. Oh the deathnote anime has new opening credits. OH MY GOD IT'S LIKE A RAVE!! AHAHAHAHAAA!!!! Oh god…Marie you know why that is so goddam hilarious. It looks like an acid trip, seriously.

Light: OMG YOU'RE A HORSIE!_ (Jumps on Ryuk)_

Ryuk: get the hell off of me!

Light: I'M KING OF THE HORSIES!!!(_Riverdances on Ryuk's head)_

Oh we do so love our high Light, don't we Marie?

Also, now my toes match my nails. I've painted them both black. Now I will dance much unlike the goth I tend to appear as.

B/N: I just painted my toes to match my nails. I've painted them both orange.

If at one point I ever wake up in this place knowing where I am, that day will be freaking great. Because today it was an, open-eyes-to-darkness-gasp-and-sit-up-quickly-getting-dizzy-upon-doing-so type of situation. Falling back, I recalled where I was. Well, sort of. I knew I was somewhere in Hellsing mansion, but…I fell asleep on a couch. This wasn't a couch, I would have fallen off by now. I guess Alucard just likes to decide to move me without telling me where in God's name he's taking me. Good plan.

I tried to get off, and succeeded in falling to the floor, despite the lack of this surface being a couch. Man, I am coordinated today! I pawed blindly around in front of me to find the bedside table that usually held my little music-thingy. I found it, which proves I'm in the same room that I always wake up in. Okay what effing time is it? 9:57. That was an adventure to end all adventures. Meh, screw that I'm gonna go back to bed.

Unfortunately sleep evaded me, but I did achieve lying motionless on a very nice bed for another hour.

I got up, not even bothering to light the candle this time and just using my iPod light. I made my way to the door somehow without tripping over something and opened it, immediately blinking painfully in the light that flooded the room. Why can't we just take those lights and bring them in this room so I don't have to go through this every day?

I looked back in the room to find that the stack of papers that was the map of the estate was sitting on the table. Yay. I walked back and looked over it, wonder what like of mystical journeys I would have today. Well, I'd better go find the mysticalness before it runs away.

Before any mysticality happens, I need some breakfast. I looked over the map to find a kitchen. Oh my God, there were like eight of them. I'll just go to the nearest one like a rational person would.

I didn't see anyone on my way to the kitchen, and no one was in the kitchen. Which was I good thing, I'm not prepared to deal with people this soon after getting up. I searched around, finding frozen waffles in the freezer. What the hell?! Who here eats frozen effing waffles? I then decided I was going to steal some because waffles are great.

I continued my aimless wandering, much dead to the world because I had turned up the volume on my music player. So I wasn't paying any attention to what was in front of me. A great idea, I know. So when a song stopped, I looked down at the screen. Upon looking up I gave serious consideration to running and hiding when I saw someone walking around the corner towards me.

Oh damn. It was Integra.

I still was greatly unsure to her feelings towards me, but I tended to think she didn't much like me running around untethered. Because I might poke my nose into some deep dark secret. That would end badly for me I'm sure. I pulled off my headphones.

She stood there, staring down at me (hey, why was I the shortest person here?!), and it seemed that she was surprised to see me.

"Oh. Hello, Pura." She said, my mind snapping back to reality from frantically trying to come up with an escape plan.

"Uh…. Hello, um, Sir Inte-Hellsing."

"Still as scared as ever I see…" She laughed "Really Pura, I won't hurt you. Is it only me or are you this nervous around Alucard too?"

That was a difficult question to answer…

"I guess it depends on what he's doing to inspire my nervous...um…ness." Pura, sovereign of the English language.

"Hmm…I know what you mean. He can be a real creep sometimes." Something behind me made her look up, and I turned around. A soldier was just turning back around the corner he had walked around. "I understand you're being regarded as an unholy terror amongst my men… that's a bit pathetic… I may have to reconsider their positions if they run scared of you."

"I know I was thinking the same thing. Some of them got over it though. They can't play poker at all by the way." I was starting to doubt my original belief that she was going to shoot me point blank in the face. "They told me that they're just afraid of Alucard…but with the way some of them run I kind of think that's not entirely true…"

"Hmm…aren't you afraid of Alucard? Not to frighten you, but I'm surprised he hasn't killed you yet."

"Well…honestly I am afraid of him, but…" But I love him more. How do I say that without saying exactly that? "I don't know he's…" I sighed heavily. "I guess there's just something about him that outweighs the fear."

She paused, figuring out what I really ment I guess. It took about three seconds for her to discover what I was too shy to say. Damn, am I that easy to read? I hope she won't say anything to him.

Integra smiled slightly and nodded once "I understand. You do comprehend how very dangerous that is, right? Being close to him…if you really smell as good to him as he says you do, staying around him too long might get to be too much for him."

"I know…personally I think I'm an idiot, but he's just so…I don't know…irresistible I guess. I can't stay away from him. I know I should, but I can't."

She looked at me and sighed. "I certainly hope this works out for you." She turned and walked away.

I looked at the floor "So do I." I whispered to myself. Great. Now I was depressed.

Whatever. I'm going to choose to ignore my probably imminent doom in favor of…um…prancing about a huge mansion and hoping I find something to preoccupy my time until a certain vampire wakes up.

I decided to drop in on the soldiers and wondered if I could somehow coax them into playing with real money. Cause I could certainly use some of that.

I once more skipped to the barracks, and I'm not sure why. I opened the door and was greeted with two "Hey Pura!"s, one "Yo!" and noticeably more wary stares. Apparently most of them were still wanting to be tripped if I saw them walking down the hallway.

I wandered over to the poker circle (in which the same people were playing) and joined in. And I kicked some ass. Fred noticed this.

"Pura, we have matches with all of the other staff here. Want to represent us in one?"

"Sure. Have you guys _ever_ won a match?"

"Well…no…We've never even placed third."

"That's kind of sad you know." I showed my cards. I win this round again. Man these guys have terrible poker faces.

"I know."

In the end, I did succeed in getting them to bet actual money (by losing a few rounds. Until they felt a false sense of security. Mwaha!), but they only bet about a pound at a time. But I'm awesome, so I ended up walking away with like, £25.

I walked out, my mood significantly better than it was earlier. Once again, I was paying zero bits of attention to where I was going, more concerned with finding pictures in the mosaic floor tiling. I then unintentionally wandered into some dark corner of the mansion, the lights dimmed for no apparent reason. Upon looking up, I found that I had run out of hallway, there was just a dead end wall with a picture of a bowl of fruit on it. And it was fairly creepy with the strange dim lighting.

I was about to poke the oranges when I noticed that the wall had hinges. Walls don't have hinges, dammit. I abandoned my plan of poking the painted orange and poked at the wall instead. It took no time at all until I had pulled the wall open, revealing a long, dark stone stairway. Well, it wasn't entirely dark; it had this barely noticeable, freaky blue glow that came from nowhere, which may have been more unsettling than no lights at all.

Now, there were several parts of my mind telling me what I should/should not do and the consequences of all of these choices. One part was saying 'Damn it woman, you told yourself earlier that poking into deep dark secrets would be bad'. A second voice was saying 'Look down a bit, then run away if you hear the slightest noise'. A third voice said 'Screw those bitches, go for it!' and then made the "rock on" sign with his voice hands. And a fourth voice was saying 'Holy shit! Don't go down there! You'll get your face ripped the eff off!' I liked the third one best, who doesn't like a voice with hands?

I stared down the ominous pit descending deep underground, took a deep breath, and started to walk down the steps into the cold, threatening darkness.

B/N: Way to not put and end author's note Jen, you're the biggest asshole, ever.

A/N: Well ya know if you didn't _demand_ to have the flash drive, that bane of a dog waiting at my door, I could have written a proper author's note! Whore! Oh yay! Maury's on! WHO THE BABY DADDY?! 'those bootleg suga daddy's round the house' was said on this episode. I'm going to use that in everyday life from now on, okay?


	12. The Basement

A/N: Alright, now don't be mad, but this chapter and chapter 10 were supposed to be one chapter. But…I just found a good place to break it off, and continuing it uninterrupted from the place I left off just felt weird. Forgive me.

I had to make a red panda habitat this week. Oh it was _fun_. I made trees out of celery, then fed them to my guinea pig. Mistah T. He pities the fool.

Now, a short Q&A. with myself.

Q: Biscottis?

A: Yes.

B/N:

Q: Slutbuns?

A: Yes.

I walked down those forbidding stairs, trying not to see things moving in the shadows. I pulled my iPod out of my pocket, and used the light to not trip down this long flight of stairs. That would be really, really bad. I did _not_ want to be lying in pain at the bottom of these steps, at the mercy of whatever may be down there; chances are it's not a cotton candy machine and a basket of cheeping duckies. I hear no cheeping.

Damn it was dark! There was no longer the strange blue glow that I saw at the top of the steps; that tapered off about three minutes ago. Now it was pitch black except for the small circle of light given off by my iPod, which was running low on battery power. This was beginning to look like a horrible, horrible idea. But I didn't want to turn back, or I'd be a sissy in my own eyes. God I hate my stubbornness, especially when it's aimed at myself.

I finally reached the bottom of the steps, after walking down them for what seemed like hours (really it was only about ten minutes, but thems still some long steps). I was now in some dark hallway, and it was freezing cold. All of the walls and floors were gray stone, and that freaked me out for some reason.

I was surprised when I reached a set of doors, the hallway continued further, but I was a bit nervous about this hallway and wanted to get out of it now. They were huge ornately-carved wooden doors with bronze handles. They looked really old, but in perfect condition.

I placed my ear on the door, listening for sounds of motion inside. If I heard anything, I was gonna take off in the opposite direction. But there was nothing to be heard.

I opened the doors as quietly as I could, and surprisingly they didn't squeak. The room inside was actually lit, though dimly. There were candles high up on the ceiling, which had to be at least twenty feet high, probably more; I'm a terrible judge of distance.

In the middle of the room, there was a tall-backed chair. Where does one acquire a chair that freaking tall? I walked apprehensively over to it, in case there was something behind it. Thankfully there wasn't. But there was a table next to it. One the table there was a few wine glasses and Alucard's sunglasses and hat. Oh, I am taking this hat. I poked the hat, and picked it up. I flipped it around, examining it. I even smelled it, and found that it smelled nice, much like Alucard's hair.

I put the hat on, not surprised to find it was huge and fell down over my eyes. I pulled it up so I could see, and looked around, hoping to find a mirror. But of course, there were no mirrors down here, and why would there be? I suppose Alucard had no reflection, and even if he did, I doubt this is the place for a mirror. Maybe I'll go to the creepy vampire spa getaway.

I sat cross-legged in the chair, still wearing the hat. Why the chair was that tall, I have no idea; I craned my neck to look at the top of it.

Then I heard the growling.

Something was growling deeply and viciously. It wasn't Alucard, I've heard him growl before and this sounded _nothing_ like him.

I looked behind the chair, in the direction of the growling, which was an idiotic idea.

At first, I saw only darkness. Then two red spots appeared; eyes. I felt relieved, it was Alucard after all, only freaking me out, maybe he would just take his hat back and ruffle my hair or something. Then two more red spots appeared beneath the first two. Then another set of eyes appeared. That's when I started running.

I leapt out of the chair, pushing off of the arms for a faster start. I scrambled across the stone floor, and the hat fell down over my eyes again, rendering me blind from what little light there was. I kept running, sightless, but I wasn't about to stop. I could hear whatever was back there moving towards me, snarling.

Suddenly, the growling stopped, and the only sound in this huge chamber was the pounding of my shoes against the stone. Well, that and my ragged breathing. I looked behind me fearfully, pulling the hat up, and I didn't see any eyes, red or otherwise. I stopped, and spun around, staring into the darkness, desperately wanting to know which way I should be running.

That was when something hit me in the middle of my back, throwing me to the ground but flipping me onto my back just before I struck the stone floor. It wrapped around me, completely immobilizing me. Alucard's hat flew off my head when I fell and landed on the floor with a soft _fwuf_.

I screamed and struggled in the creature's grip. My eyes were open wide with fear; the thing looked back at me with its many red eyes. It was some kind of gigantic, dog-like monster with a mouthful of razor-sharp, jagged teeth, each tooth easily as long as my hand. It sniffed at me, lingering at my neck, and opened its maw; I could feel it breathing on me. I screamed louder and closed my eyes tightly, bracing against the imminent snap of those jaws around me.

From somewhere, Alucard's low, rumbling laugh floated through the room.

"Alucard?" I said, but it came out as a whisper.

"Yes?" He replied, voice full of amusement.

I took a shuddering, gasping breath "Help" I whimpered. I felt myself being moved from my previously lying helpless on the floor position to a more upright position, almost sitting up, leaning against something cold.

"And what is it you need help with?" he murmured, suddenly in front of me, and very, very close as it sounded. Like directly in front of my face close.

I snapped my eyes open, and stared into his glowing red eyes. I noticed now that the hold around me had changed from a full-body wrap to powerful arms keeping me still.

"What...what's going on? What was that thing!"

"I don't know what you're talking about" he said, I could see the dim flickering lights glinting off of his fangs as he grinned.

I stared at him, unbelieving. There was no way he couldn't have seen that huge thing. He just sat there, holding me and trying not to laugh.

Something dawned on me. The dog-thing…it moved with the same shapeless, liquid appearance as Alucard's shadows did. And didn't I think that it _was_ Alucard when I first saw its eyes? Also, how could Alucard get in here and rescue me from it without me even knowing he removed the creature's grip and picked me back up?

My jaw dropped in shock, and Alucard started to laugh again.

"Alucard…"

"Yes, Pura?" he chuckled.

"You…you…"

"I what?"

"YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE!" I screamed. Alucard found this quite funny, throwing his head back and laughing; I growled as well as I could and glared angrily at him, trying to mask the unease I always felt when I could see all of his incredibly sharp fangs.

I tried to wrench myself away from him, which is much more difficult than it sounds. I pushed against him, my arms all bent up, palms against his chest. I didn't have any chance at escaping from him, and all I managed to do was force my upper body slightly away from him, my head thrown back. He merely leaned forward and I felt his breath on my exposed throat. I gasped and shivered for more than one reason. Alucard, you cheat.

"How long are you planning on staying angry with me, my dear?" He asked, knowing I would cooperate with anything he wanted right now. "Hopefully not for too long." He moved his face up and down my neck, inhaling deeply, and I felt his hair gently brush along my throat.

I couldn't speak.

"Hmm? Are you still mad at me?" He whispered, and I felt his lips touch just under my jaw. I my muscles tightened instinctively; then went limp, and I had a very, very strong desire to reach up, tangle my fingers in his hair, and kiss him. But, I was way too shy and my arms were pretty much immobile; like meat at my sides. Hmm attractive. He was leaning against me, keeping me still. Also, something like that would probably get me nothing more than a set of dagger teeth clamping onto my neck.

"Well?" He purred, frozen lips moving gently against my throat.

"No…" I whispered.

"No what?" I felt him smile

"I'm…not…mad at you" I was breathless, and a normal human probably wouldn't be able to hear me. Good thing he wasn't human or normal.

"I am so glad to hear that" When he spoke, I felt his _fangs_ lightly touch my throat and I gasped. One of his hands moved up along my spine and rested on the back of my neck, holding back my head. I closed my eyes, almost fully expecting those fangs to sink into my neck at any second. I say 'almost' because there was still that part of me that desperately wanted to kiss him and be kissed back. But he moved away, without leaving any holes in my neck.

I opened my eyes and found that Alucard was looking at me, smiling slightly. He reached over and picked up his hat.

"Oh yeah…sorry." I said softly, embarrassed. Not to mention a little nervous; what if he was mad that I took his hat?

He chuckled and put the hat on my head. It promptly fell down over my eyes, and he laughed again.

He rose to his feet, bringing me with him. I'd like to mention that I was completely blind from his hat, and he wouldn't let me move my arms to pull it up.

"You seem to be in a good mood today…" I muttered, annoyed at the joy my confusion brought him.

"Well the scent of your fear does often put me in a good mood." Even though I couldn't see, I could tell he was smiling in his menacing way. He could _smell_ my fear? That's scary, and I suppose he noticed my nervous thoughts about it.

"So, what was that? I mean I get that it was you, but like…what in the hell was it?"

He stopped walking and set me down.

"Oh, so you're curious?" I completely distrusted the way he just asked that question.

I nudged the hat up off of my eyes and peeked out from under the brim. "Well…kind of." I admitted.

He smirked and a huge black shadow appeared from his back, and loomed over me. I took a step back as it formed into the huge, many-eyed dog. It moved slowly toward me, and I would have backed up more, but I was already against the wall. The dog fell to my face level, and opened its mouth. I cringed, desperately trying to melt through the wall. I heard the dog growl deeply.

It licked my entire face, coating it with slime. Its tongue was freezing cold, not to mention huge in proportion to the rest of it. This fact made sense but I hated it anyway.

"AGH!" I yelled "Damn it, Alucard!" I shrieked over his laughing. To get a little bit even, I wiped my face off with his hat.

"What, you don't like dogs?" he asked, still chuckling.

"Yeah, that's a dog and I'm a professional skydiving ostrich-wrangler."

"Are you?"

"…You are so incredibly funny…" I growled sarcastically as I threw his drool-covered hat at him. But I patted the…not-dog's head, and it was actually soft and furry, much to my surprise. I had figured it would feel mostly like the shadows Alucard uses to strap me to his back. The creature sighed happily.

"Can you feel that?" I asked Alucard as I scratched the dog's head.

"Yes. You taste great by the way." He just loves freaking me out, doesn't he? It worked quite well, and I got nervous. He smiled wickedly as I stopped petting the dog and pulled my hand back.

The dog disappeared and he walked forward and picked me up again, earning a yelp from me due to my already tense state.

He started walking and reached the steps much faster than I thought possible. He also decided stairs weren't cool anymore and leapt up the steps, which seemed more like flying than jumping, for he jumped so far, we reached the top in a few seconds. Maybe it really was flying. Or blatant denial of the laws of physics. Of course, traveling like this made me dizzy.

"Hey, what time is it?" I asked once the room stopped spinning.

"About 7:39" he replied, never looking at a clock.

"Well what are we gonna do today?" I questioned playfully.

"Hmm…do _you _have any ideas for an activity?"

"What, can't think of anything?"

"I'm just curious as to what you're willing to endure." What in the hell did he mean 'endure'?

I laughed "Hide and seek" I said, not actually meaning it. Better than Jenga, I suppose, I would never win going up against his previous denial of physics.

"That might be interesting." I don't know if 'interesting' is the correct word. Maybe 'scary' would be a better word; Alucard hunting me down in a mansion? Fun times. But I was up for it; I had nothing better to do.

"Alright, if you won't _cheat_."

"Me, cheat? Now why would I do that?" he asked, smiling and leaning towards me, fangs glinting.

"Because you can."

"You're right." He said, running his fingers down the side of my neck.

He then set me down.

"How long should I give you to hide?"

"Hmm… five minutes, maybe. I don't know, this place is freaking huge."

"Five minutes then. You should start running." He murmured, eyes gleaming that stunning crimson that always left me gasping for breath. He disappeared, his low chuckling echoing down the hall.

I took his advice and started running around, looking for some nook I could hide in. I watched the time on my iPod, and at four minutes I still didn't have a hiding place he wouldn't be able to find me in without a problem. The thing was, he'd be able to smell me and hear my heartbeat. I didn't spend my days here crawling into cobwebbed alcoves, and a place I had never been in would be easily distinguishable from the rest of the mansion. Then I remembered something; there was a closet in next to the poker circle, and I had been hanging out there a lot, so he won't think my scent being there is anything unusual. Yay!

I dashed into the soldiers barracks, ignoring their surprised yells when I burst in. I leapt over someone who was apparently passed out and sprinted into the closet, slamming the door.

"Pura, what the hell's wrong with you?" someone asked outside the door.

"Shut up! I'm playin' hide-and-seek! If you keep yelling my name, he's gonna find me in no time!"

"Who will find you...? Pura! You aren't leading Alucard here, are you!"

"Well I won't be if you _shut the hell up!_" He took my advice, and kindly shut his noise hole.

I waited there for an hour. I was getting really bored, and I think he was doing this on purpose. Maybe he was trying to make me come out, and he would scare me. In fact, he would defiantly scare me.

I leaned against the wall and scoffed. Then recalled that I was being essentially hunted by a vampire who most likely found hunting me down to be a very entertaining activity.

Realizing this, I got scared. Seconds later, there was a hand around my neck and I was pulled through the wall behind me. Alucard bent back my head and breathed in at my neck.

"Fouuund yoou" he purred, his lips lightly tracing down my throat.

He moved back after a few moments.

"It took you that long to find me?" I asked as soon as I caught my breath.

"Not at all. I just enjoy waiting for you to scare yourself and add to it."

"Oh good. The fact that you are so perceptive to my slightest twinge of fear makes me warm and fuzzy inside. It really does." I was feeling really sarcastic today. Alucard just gave that velvety chuckle that I love, but had to pretend I hated right now.

I turned away from him, and made a noise that sounded like 'Meh'. I could almost hear him smirking. He started drumming his fingers gently against my neck, so lightly that it tickled.

"I should take you home…" He murmured, tracing down my neck and along my collarbone, making me shiver. I didn't want to leave, but I have to go back to work; I'm all out of sick days. Sensing my surrender, he tossed me smoothly onto his back.

Alucard began walking through the walls and I leaned my head against him, his soft black hair on my face. I had an emotionally strenuous day, and I found that I was exhausted at only nine.

We reached my house in what seemed like a much shorter span of time than usual, but I might have nodded off on, in fact I almost defiantly fell asleep on a vampire's back. He set me down on my bed, and I shooed him out of my room so I could get changed.

After I had gotten comfortable in my bed, he melted back in through the wall.

"There's a door you know." I said, already half-asleep.

"Where's the fun in that?" He asked, sitting on the foot of my bed. He turned off the lights in his own vampire-y way, and I was lost in the darkness to everything except the soft glow of his scarlet eyes. Since that was the only light source, I automatically focused on his eyes, so I was unconscious in seconds.

A/N: I HOPE YOU EFFING LIKE THIS! I was pestered all night by Marie, rushing me for this chapter. That skanky ho. But I didn't rush in my _mind_. Hey. Its pi day! HELL YES! Let's all just party like there's no tomorrow. Because there won't be. Just drink this kool-aid and I'll explain everything…

By the way Marie, did you at any point pop a cap in someone's ass?

I hereby dedicate this chapter to my new slipknot cd, these shoes I found that match, and the new FMA book that I got along with the shoes and CD. But I dedicate _nothing_ to you, hot topic. Because you refuse to stock the pants I want. You guys can go blow a goat. So can you Marie, though that pretty much goes without saying.


	13. Injured

A/N: (writhing in pain) must…..not…..write….chapters…..out of order…. _Nooo, write them out of order, you know you want to_...agh! no! I need to get chapters on time!

That was my battle with myself over writing chapters out of order. Because I really want to. I've got ideas…there's a Christmas party involved, and it's sure to be entertaining. Also I want to write more plot-important chapters. But I'll do them in order. Because I love you all. Except Marie, she a ho is. YOU HEAR ME SKANK-WAD!

I don't know if anyone else has seen this late-night 'jewelry television' stuff, but once more I find that it is on as I write this. It's such stupid crap, sold by fake-smile hos. And one guy. Ready for your sci-fi report? Well its not very good, I missed most of the movies this weekend. 'Penny Dreadful' is on now. That is the worst movie of horrorfest '06 I think. Uck. I don't even know what's going on. LOOK AT HOW LONG THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE IS!

I woke up when I hit the floor. Falling from a comfortable surface and kissing the floor is better then coffee when it comes to getting my ass out of bed. Apparently my dexterity is just rapidly getting worse and worse as time goes on. In four days I won't be able to walk I bet. 

I groaned and stretched, bashing my arm off of the bed's leg. That woke me up pretty well. I sat up, grimacing in pain and holding my arm where I had hit it. 

Wow…it was two in the afternoon. Alucard…damn you and your trances and such! I barely had any time to goof off before work. I got a shower, still feeling like I had demon-dog slobber all over my face, more thanks to Alucard. 

I got dressed, wearing the stupid shirt that this damn store forces me to wear. I didn't dry my hair as per usual, not caring if it got the back of my shirt wet because I hate my boss. Where do I work? Well it's a store. My shirt's red, and has a little bulls-eye on the name tag. But it's not Target. Okay, I work at Target. Whatever, I hate it there. My boss is an asshole. I get even by taking things, hiding them, and then asking him where they are. 

I walked to the kitchen and had breakfast…er…brunch. Then I headed to work early and stood outside the building and growled at people walking in for 45 minutes. Which is another way to piss off my boss. He can't do anything about it; I don't do it when I'm working. Plus it's funny as hell to see some of the looks I get. Someone growled back once. 

As soon as my antics ended I walked in and promptly was confronted by Mr. I-have-nothing-to-do-other-than-make-your-job-difficult.

"Pura, go work the return desk." He ordered. Damn it! Is there something about me that makes me look like I want to deal with pissed-off people who want their money back for a device they bought for ‎75 cents?

I glared at him and turned sharply away toward the little desk that feels similar to the ninth circle of hell. 

"Workin' the return desk again Pura?" Came the grating voice of that bitch of a co-worker named Mitch.

"Well, if you don't get the hell away from me, I may have to shove your face in a paper shredder first." I snarled without turning around or stopping.

"Ooooh. Is that a threat worthy of reporting?"

"Is that a reason for me to slash your tires?" I've done it before, so he sulked off with a cutting "Yeah, well…" 

I walked behind the return desk and tried to look angry. Some people won't go up to an angry Target employee. But some people will. Like the women who had no teeth and wanted her money back for a greeting card she bought four weeks ago. Things like that make me lose faith in humanity. 

I had to deal with that shit all day. Commanded as such from my boss. I think he hates me because I'm not British. Racial profiling. 

Thank God for 45 minute lunch breaks. I walked across the street to the mall and got a latte. Which is difficult to find here, mostly they just sell tea and such. I noticed I wasn't as interested in the cute guy who worked the coffee shop as I usually was. I was fooling myself into going after Alucard, wasn't I? Damn my hormones, damn them all to hell! 

I walked upstairs to the food court and got curly fries. My friend Jackie showed up and sat next to me and put her lunch on the table. She has a break at the same time I do, it's quite convenient.

"I know that look. Gonna key Mitch's car?" I've know Jackie since I first got to England. She works at a clothing store in the mall. Her boss is nice, and I throw things at her for it.

"Slash his tires." I replied, leaning back on my chair. 

"Don't get caught." She said, taking a curly fry. "By the way, did you see what Brian was wearing?" Brian was the coffee shop kid I was talking about earlier. 

"Uh…his uniform and a nametag?" 

"Naw, it was dress-down day. He had on this… did you really not notice? Damn, Pura, you usually study him like a cheat sheet the day of a test." 

"You, know what? STUFF IT!" I growled jokingly. 

She looked at me, and I could tell she was trying to figure something out. Then her eyes got big and she grinned at me.

"Ohhhh, I get it. You found a guy, didn't you!" As she said that, she leaned across the table and grabbed the edges.

"Not really…" I crossed my arms and turned my head in mock anger. She still had a death grip on the poor table, which I could almost hear screaming. "And what are you, high?" She nodded "Stop molesting the table and sit down ya spazz." 

She complied but still pressed on. "So what's he like?" 

"I told you; it's not really like that…I'm not dating him or anything." I am so glad Alucard can't hear this conversation. I'd feel all awkward. I'm not exactly sure why.

"So there _is_ a guy!" That's a loose translation of the word 'guy'.

I sighed. "Ehhhh….sort of."

"Well tell me!" 

"Nope. I have to get back to the hellhole." I tossed a balled-up napkin at her.

We started walking out, and she continued to interrogate me. I either ignored or sarcastically responded to her questions.

"Oh, I'll find out about him Pura. Sooner or later I will." She growled when we got to the doors. She interlaced her finger and stared at me in a hopeless imitation of a movie-villain. "I can wait. LIKE A…A…TIGER!"

"F minus, Jackie." I skipped out of the mall, looking back to see her shaking her fist at me and saying 'Damn you, Pura! Foiled again!' I laughed and walked across the street back to Target. It had gotten dark and cold.

But this was a problem; I am a horrible liar. She was right, sooner or later I was going to mess up and she would learn his name or something. And it would just progress from there. I'm pretty sure he'd get pissed if I told someone about him. That might even get me killed. Probably by Alucard himself under Integra's orders. I don't want to get eaten just because I can't shut the eff up. In fact, I don't want to get eaten at all. 

It was almost time to leave, that time being ten, and I was still at the return desk. I was also daydreaming and dead to the world as I so often am. 

Working at Target, you tend to ignore, or get used to, the sounds of the automatic doors opening and the person regularly working nearest to you (Mitch. Vile.) saying, 'Welcome to target sir/ma'am.' In their dull monotone. But what one doesn't often hear is Mitch pausing and then gasping in fear. I looked up with not much interest, but I couldn't see anything, the return desk is in a little isolated area in a pushed-in section of the wall. I did see, however, Mitch running across the doorway like he was being pursued by Freddie Kruger. What was following him was far more deadly. 

Alucard, in his normal attire, minus coat and hat, much to my dismay, walked through the doorway up to the desk. I stared at him in shock. 

"Alucard! What the hell are you doing here!" I asked, my words close to a whisper in case my boss was watching.

"Well I decided to take you home after work. We don't want some other vampire taking a bite out of you, do we?" He murmured, tilting my head up with two gloved fingers. He traced down my neck and chuckled when I shivered. 

"Pura! What the hell are you doing!" It was my least-favorite boss, but by default, my favorite boss, considering I only had one. The angry little man stormed in and glared at Alucard, who hadn't turned around. 

"Uh…Well I-"

"If you're going to be a whore, don't do so around the customers!" What! A whore! I was pissed, and Alucard's mouth pulled up into a terrifying snarl. He was still turned to me, so my boss couldn't see his expression.

"Don't look so surprised, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Whenever you aren't working you're prancing around like a little streetwalker." I did not! Goddamit I dressed like a normal person! I am quitting this shit. "You'll-" he stopped short and started choking. And the reason was perfectly understandable.

Alucard had spun around and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him clear off the ground. He was growling like a demon and I'm sure his face was contorted in rage as it had been a second ago. Hell, I was scared, and his anger wasn't even directed at me, so that asshole of a manager must be about to pass out. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy that fact.

"I don't think that's the way to speak to a lady." His voice was disturbingly calm. Wait, Alucard was standing up for me? "Now, I think you owe her an apology. Or I could always slit your throat and paint this store with your blood and entrails while you're still screaming."

He made a gasping noise I suppose one could mistake for an apology. Alucard dropped him and he thumped to the floor motionless but alive, I guess. Alucard turned back to me and smiled kindly. He picked me up and walked out; ignoring my manager's terrified cowering.

"You…stood up for me?" Really, I was confused. I didn't think he cared. Like at all.

"He was scum." He said simply.

He walked around to the back of the building and swung me onto his back and took off. 

I hugged him as he ran. "Thanks." I whispered. 

"Don't thank me just yet. I just lost your job for you."

"I don't care. I was about to quit when he said that anyway. I'm sure I'll find a new job pretty fast." That wasn't something I was sure of. "So him calling me a whore pissed you off?"

"Men shouldn't talk to women like that."

"Alucard…_you eat women_…"

"Yes, but I'm polite about it." 

"You're freakin' scary." A completely true statement. Alucard just chuckled menacingly. 

In two minutes we reached my apartment. Usually it took me fifteen minutes by bus with no stops. I detached myself from Alucard and tried to figure out when the next rent was due. Alucard noticed.

"Something wrong?" he purred, pulling me back into his arms. 

"It's nothing…" Oh I hope they don't cut my power…

"I won't let them kick you out of here. If I can protect you from undead monsters I can protect you from getting thrown out of your apartment."

"Oh really? And what do you plan to do?" I will bet anything his plan includes threats or hypnotizing of some sort.

"Well, if you don't have the money by the next bill, I think I can...talk to the landlord and convince him to reconsider" He smirked when he said 'talk'. See? I told you. 

I laughed and walked into my room, Alucard followed me, which I could only verify by looking back; he was completely silent and seemed to enjoy the fact that I kept nervously checking back to see what he was doing. I flopped on my bed, my eyes closed and my hand dangling off the side that wasn't against the wall. Alucard sat down on the bed near me.

I felt Alucard's cool fingertips on my hand, and he brought my wrist to his face. I opened my eyes and watched as he inhaled and smiled. Apparently my wrists get the Alucard seal of approval. I imagined him pulling out a tiny red stamp with his face on it and stamping my wrist. That is one hot stamp, I must say. Now I can leave the Alucard theme-park, and get back in without another ticket!

Once he put my hand down, I scooched over to give Alucard more room. He moved closer and reached forward. He put his gloved hand on my chest over my heart, his long fingers wrapped loosely around my neck. Alucard leaned over me, watching me intently, as if making sure I wasn't about to run. He bent further over me, and lowered his head closer to my neck. I felt my pulse become uneven (which he no doubt felt too); something told me he didn't just want to breathe in at my neck...

Alucard's hand left my chest, melting through me with an odd, freezing-cold feeling. Like someone had thrown icy water on me and it went right through my chest. His arm reappeared on my back, wrapping around me without actually moving me. 

He rested the side of his head on the spot where his hand was previously placed. Alucard laid motionless, listening to my heartbeat, which had become erratic along with my breathing. A spot that had been strip of bed I was lying on suddenly turned into his other arm, which moved to bind my arms further to my sides. 

His eyes were closed and the sides of his mouth were pulled into a slight smile; he could have been sleeping. There was no way I could have fallen asleep though, I was terrified out of my mind and in love at the same time. An odd mixture of feelings I can assure you. 

Eventually he lifted his head away, moving his arms through me again, making me shiver. He got off the bed and looked down at me. I sat up quickly; he looked slightly uneasy.

"Did I do something wrong...?" I asked, scared he might be mad at me.

He blinked as if he had been spacing out and I woke him up. "No, you've done nothing wrong." He smiled slightly "I probably just shouldn't have done that without eating first." That was a bad sign...just listening to my heart had made him hungry...? "Stay here, I'm going to get some blood." He reached forward and ran his fingers across my throat, then walked away through the wall.

I sat there, looking at the wall where he left and a strange sense of abandonment set in. Then I noticed that I had never actually seen Alucard drink blood before. I know he drank it from medical blood bags, but I wonder if he just bit the bag or poured it in a glass or something. I got an image of him sitting on a couch eating a cookie with a glass of blood sitting next to him and I started giggling. Giggling like a schoolgirl. 

I had nothing to do though. I changed into some pajamas in which I had recently invested, then set about putting away the laundry. Not very exciting but it was time-consuming. I busied myself with little chores for two and a half hours and was just about to start the dishes when Alucard came back.

"You must be bored." He whispered in my ear after sneaking up behind me. I jumped and he caught me, laughing. 

I squirmed in his grip "Put me down, dammit!" I growled. He dropped me into the hamper. A sock flew out and I snatched it, shoving the ostentatious green sock back in the sea of clothing, purple polka-dots and all. I clambered out of the hamper and thought about getting the sock back out and throwing it at him.

"What, you _want_ to wash the dishes?" I could tell by the sound of his voice that he was grinning like the Cheshire cat. 

"Not really, but since I've decided to do them now I should or I never will." That sounded confusing. But he followed my mixed-up word choice easily. 

He carried me into the kitchen, and after setting me back down he leaned against the wall; watching me. I filled the sink with soapy water, resisting the urge to play with the soap bubbles that this had produced. I put my hand in the now murky water and immediately hissed in pain. I had run my index finger along something sharp and serrated. Otherwise known as a knife. I felt the hot line of pain that ran from the inside of my fingertip to the middle of my finger. I withdrew my finger from the water quickly, as the soap was burning me horribly. 

I was bleeding. Fuck.

I looked sickly at the dark crimson liquid dripping from my sliced-open finger and stuck it in my mouth. I wrinkled my nose against the metallic taste and gagged as I pulled my finger away and back into the air. 

I glanced over at Alucard, who, just a moment ago had been amusedly watching me, was now looking stressed out to say the least. His mouth was pulled into a snarl and I could see the muscles pulled tight in his neck. He noticed I was looking at him and he fixed his piercing gaze onto my eyes, and my muscles just stopped working. I was paralyzed, just from him looking at me. He closed his eyes for a moment, freeing me from his terrifying stare, and when he opened his eyes again he was calm once more. 

He glided towards me, and I shrank back just a little. 

He smirked at my fear. "Relax. I won't hurt you. Just let me see the extent of your injury." He leaned over slightly and reached forward. He paused, and took off his gloves, revealing very long, very pale fingers. He took my hand, lifting it to his eyes. He examined my wound closely.

I watched him nervously, but he was completely engrossed in studying the blood dripping from the cut.

A drop was about to fall off of my finger and onto the floor, which was becoming stained, when Alucard reached up and caught it on his own bone-white finger, where it formed into a perfect little half-circle drop. He brought it close to his face, and inspected it. He brought his finger to his lips and licked it.

I, by this time, was shaking. I was terrified that he would just snap and rip my neck wide open. He looked back my hand, and moved his face closer to it. I knew exactly what his intentions were. He paused, and looked back at me.

"Are you alright with this? It will stop the bleeding and make it heal faster..." He murmured

I nodded, because I couldn't speak. I had no idea if I was lying or not. My heart was racing, and I noticed that I was bleeding more because of it.

He brought my finger closer to his mouth, and his long tongue snaked out and lapped slowly at the blood. He licked the blood away for almost a minute, and the fact that my hand refused to stop bleeding heightened my already out-of-control level of fear.

His lips pressed against the gash. I stopped breathing. 

Alucard was careful not to let his razor-sharp fangs come in contact with my unprotected finger, but I was almost certain he was going to kill me. I felt his freezing-cold tongue continue to lick up the blood; he wasn't actually drawing the blood out, he just let it drip. He swallowed, and it hit me that he was drinking my blood. He was eating me. 

My heartbeat sped up to such a high rate, I thought my heart would burst right out of my chest, which gave me a graphic mental image. Needless to say this did not help at all. He obviously noticed my elevated pulse and slid his other arm around me.

After a little while he moved back a bit, and once more looked closely at the cut. It was barely bleeding at all now, and he stuck out his tongue again, winding around which I saw tiny crimson threads of my own blood. Alucard licked my wound one last time, and gently released my hand. 

I looked at my finger, and was amazed to find that it was almost healed over; just a little red mark similar to a paper cut was left. It still hurt a little, but not nearly as badly as it had been. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alucard disappear. I looked up immediately and he came back with a bandage in his hand. 

"Here." He said, wrapping the bandage around the cut. Alucard reached forward and then stopped for a brief second, unsure of how I would react. He continued, wrapping his arms around me, and pulled me close to him.

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly

"Yeah...thanks." I said in a whisper.

He lifted me up and carried me into my room, setting me gently on my bed. I sat up as he rested on the side of my bed. 

"You should sleep."

"Are you kidding...? I can barely breathe, let alone go to sleep." 

He laughed "You know, I can always _make_ you sleep." 

"Well, then you're mean." I said, crossing my arms in false annoyance.

He leaned forward. "No one has ever accused me of being anything less." he purred.

I smiled and threw a blanket over myself playfully. Wow, how had I relaxed so quickly?

He captured me in his arms again, pulling the blanket off so smoothly I didn't realize it was gone at first. "Do you really think that will stop me?" he murmured in my ear, laughing quietly. 

"Maaaybe." I said. Okay it was like two and I often get hyper when I'm tired. That's beside the point.

He chuckled. "Go to sleep you silly creature."

"Fine." I wriggled under the blanket and he leaned over me, eyes glowing brightly. 

I decided to cooperate this time and obediently looked into his eyes. He seemed surprised I was complying with him. 

"Good night, Pura." He whispered and turned off the lights just before I lost consciousness.

A/N: Um...do they have Targets in Britain...? I really have no idea, I just used a store I had recently been to that didn't suck ass. 

Hey! What's that? I smell...FORESHADOWING! Unintentional foreshadowing but foreshadowing nonetheless. But...I'm not going to tell you what it is. 

I think that Hellsing fanfics are better with someone bleeding and Alucard 'helping'. So I tossed some in here. Yay. 

B/N: Your mother smells like foreshadowing.

A/N2: LOLFAG


	14. Nightmare

A/N: aw god this sucks. I have to start writing this on the shared computer because my laptop is a complete dick. I hate the shared computer. My writing feels so exposed to the wind and elements. Plus it's difficult to write on this because I have to make sure no one's home (I've been banned from computer-usage), and my writing habits include writing in the middle of the night. I cannot do this, for people are home then.

No Saturday movie report. I know you're all disappointed beyond any mortal comprehension.

I'm not going to do any Christmas party goings-on like I planned, because I do not feel frivolous enough to write it. I'm rather despondent in fact. Someone come cheer me up by fixing my laptop. So…let's go with something else, shall we?

B/N: You're lucky you even have that laptop. Don't talk about Darius the Great like that, I named him well when he was mine.

I had no idea where I was. I just knew that it was dark as hell, and something was in the dark with me. I'm not sure exactly what it was that was here, but it couldn't be good if it was slinking around in this darkness. But then again I was too, so who am I to judge?

Still, I wasn't going to take any chances and proving my recently-increasing stupidity by frolicking around, arms open, trying to hug whatever was out there.

I peered nervously around, trying to pinpoint where the quiet rustling sound was coming from. But, wherever it was, it's was kicking my courage's ass.

The area was suddenly flooded with a bright light, and I found myself standing next to Alucard. He was looking down at me with a curious gaze. I was about to say something but he cut me off, picking me up suddenly. He began to walk through the vast blank space.

In a few seconds he came to one of the red couches that usually can be found sitting calmly in the library. Because they can act up, I've seen it. Very feisty. He sat down on it, still holding me. His hand moved up my back and his gloved finger started tracing circles on the back of my neck.

"Alucard?" I questioned him in a hoarse whisper. This was scary enough as it is, plus a silent Alucard.

Instead of answering, he grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head back. I screamed more so in fear than pain, but both were factors. Looking up, I found him grinning down at me; the fangs that he called rows of teeth glinting at me.

He leaned down slowly, chuckling in a way that terrified me, until his lips were pressed against my neck. He sniffed at the blood rushing fast under my skin for a few moments. Then his lips parted with terrifying speed, and he sunk several fangs deep into my neck. I tried to scream but couldn't, and my muscles wouldn't work, even as I mentally shrieked at them to move.

Then I was walking, my neck undamaged, much to my own relief, down a dimly lit hallway toward something I couldn't see yet. I soon reached the large set of doors, containing the room with the tall chair. Also the room witness to antics involving hats. Somehow, even though I had been staggering around the mansion with no idea where the hell I was going, I knew that this hallway did not lead to the newly-dubbed 'hat shack.'

I opened the doors without really wanting to do so, and walked in the room. I came upon Alucard sitting in the chair, one leg crossed over the other and his head leaning on his hand which was set upon the arm of the chair. He watched as I walked up and sat cross-legged on the floor a few feet in front of him. Story time!

I looked up, palms on the floor. Alucard had a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth, nothing new there. I felt his shadows slowly wrap around me, uncomfortably tight, and I tried to struggle but again, my body wouldn't obey me.

The shadows bound my arms and wrapped my upper body in a demonic embrace. They moved to cover my mouth, keeping my jaw tightly closed.

I was suddenly being pulled backward by the shadows, and made only a muffled, high-pitched noise when I tried to shriek.

I somehow was able to look in the direction I was being dragged at a high speed. I couldn't see anything at first, just black nothingness, then, from the void a hellhound erupted, growling and drooling. I screamed against the shadows and thrashed wildly until they bound up my legs and entire torso.

I was stopped as fast as I started and now was staring directly into the face of the huge monster. It looked down at me, its eyes all focusing on me in a piercing red glare. A _hungry_ piercing red glare.

It moved out of my field of vision; I tried to look up and find it, but I was completely immobilized by the black ropes that held me. I was making a whimpering sound as I breathed now, and was trembling violently.

I felt the shadows melt off of my torso, and struggled to escape. Now they let me move my head, and I leaned slightly upward. Just in time to see the hellhound rear back, then rush forward, maw opened wide. I heard and felt my ribs crack when its teeth clamped into my midsection. I howled into the shadows that were still wrapped around my mouth.

The enormous dogs the moved its head up, jaws still closed on me. I was held up at a 90 degree angle to the ground; it was draining my blood, I could see it dripping down the creature's throat. I was crying by this time, sobbing pathetically.

I was finally moved back, nearer to the ground after a few hideously painful moments.

The dog started shaking its head.

I was whipped back and forth, like a normal dog would with a chew toy. Which I had just become, I realized sickly. I could feel my flesh ripping away from my body, and gave one last muffled scream.

I sat straight up in my bed, shaking and breathing heavily. My face was wet; I had actually been crying. My neck and midsection hurt…I had felt pain; it wasn't a normal dream-Novocain feeling, but actual pain. I drew my knees up and wrapped my arms around them, putting my head on top of them. I was still upset and was stifling sobs against my blankets.

After a few minutes I looked up, to see Alucard standing against the wall across the room, his face illuminated by the pale moonlight that filtered through my window. He was looking at me with a pitying gaze.

I stared at him, eyes foggy with the tears that still welled up there. I wanted him to come over here; I didn't want to be alone right now.

"Alucard…?" I said, my voice unintentionally high from crying

"Yes?" He replied quietly.

"Please…" my voice broke into another sob and I couldn't continue.

"Alright, I understand. I'll leave." He turned around to depart through the wall.

"No!" I shouted, jumping forward almost out of bed to stop him.

He turned back, confused. "'No'?" he stared at me as I leaned back onto the bed, pulling my hand across my eyes, breath hitching with little high-pitched noises.

"Don't leave…" I whimpered pathetically. I put my head down, staring at the tan blanket, watching tiny dark spots appear where my tears had fallen.

Alucard walked closer and brushed my hair away from my face, tucking it behind my ear. He sat down next to me, running his gloved finger across my face just under my eye; wiping my tear away. I really wish I could stop crying; he was gonna think I was a little kid.

I looked up at him, biting my bottom lip to stop it from trembling. I blinked and another tear fell from my eyes. He reached forward and brushed that one away too. I jumped forward impulsively and hugged him, burying my face in his chest. His seemed surprised at first, then wrapped his arms around me protectively as I sobbed into the front his suit.

"I will never understand humans…" he murmured to himself, leaning down to rest his head on top of mine.

"Huh?" I mumbled; I had finally stopped the sobs that had racked my body violently.

"Why do you seek comfort from me; the very one who caused your weeping? It doesn't seem sane, I must admit."

"I dunno." I said softly, burrowing further into his chest. He moved his arms to hold me as I snuggled closer to him.

"You should go back to sleep…" He murmured

I just hugged him tighter, not wanting to be left alone.

He surprised me by lying down on my bed, pulling me down next to him. I was under the blankets and he was on top of them, but pressed up against him I could still feel his coldness through the covers. I curled up beside him, and closed my eyes as he started softly humming a low tune that I didn't recognize into my ear.

I drifted to sleep just after he started singing almost inaudibly in a different language, his low, velvety voice a beautiful sound that warded off any further nightmares.

A/N: I don't like writing on this computer…but I'm doing it anyway. Because I love you all. EXCEPT YOU! YES, YOU THERE! WITH THE FRIVOLOUS HAT!

Short, but I don't care. You're lucky you're getting anything at all. And you're not getting any, are you Marie? HA! DOUBLE-ENTANDRE! I'M FUNNY! Ah, good times. Too much sugar. Happy Easter, peeps. By the way, peeps in the microwave for about 25 seconds equals awesome.

Consider this a bonus chapter. I wasn't planning it at all. This was just a result of the boringness of German class.

B/N: DAMN RUSSIANS!

SQUIRREL, UP AHEAD!

Heh, I'm so funny.

IT'S ONLY FUNNY WHEN I DO IT!

Look at those youngins, there in the park. Damn youngins.

JEN! DON'T YOU COME ANY CLOSER!

I'm the conductor of the ma-ching band

PUT YOUR PENIS BATON DOWN!

You got baton semen, EVERYWHERE!

That stop sign looks like it has an errection.

Penis tree, I have your baby in me!

Plum colored door, plum colored door looks like it need som-ting to eatz.

Jen, I'm sorry I punched you in the boob, now you can never have babies.

Marie, I have something to tell you. Penis tree and I are getting married. Jen, I also have something to tell you; PENIS TREE IS ALREAY ENGAGED TO ME!

Oh fun times walking around my whoring grounds.

A/N2: hatechu.


	15. BitchSlapping Vampires

A/N: alright…to hell with the Christmas party. That can happen later. Erm….I guess. Whatever. I've been begging myself to start writing the more plot-like chapters, but the chappies before this really can't be written afterwards. You'll understand why.

Alright. I've tried as hard as I can to make this room a good writing environment until my laptop is back. It's dark, music is on, and I have this awesome crab cup I got for Easter filled with dr.pepper. Distractions include: a cat, Hellsing itself, and Sweeney Todd. Wait, what?! Sweeney Todd?! WHERE?! (Runs down hallway, crashes into wall, passes out)

Now…..let the plot-related chapters….BEGIIIIN!

Oh wait, I wasn't done listing distractions. Pineapple upside-down cake.

I woke up and was immediately attacked by disappointment. Alucard had left. Why I expected him to still be there, I have no idea. I was about to get ready for work, but remembered that I'm most likely not welcome there anymore, seeing as how Alucard threatened to murder my boss. Which I still find funny yet creepy. I glanced at my clock; 1:37 PM, the bright green numbers told me. Actually, they didn't say anything, they're numbers.

I got up and went to get a shower. Upon taking off my pajama shirt I found…I had a huge fucking red mark on my stomach, vaguely resembling the teeth marks a certain hellhound would have. I gasped, horrified and ran closer to the mirror to look at my neck. There was a similar circular red mark, and it wasn't a hickey. Holy shit! It went almost entirely around my neck!

This was Alucard's fault, I know it. This had never happened before, and I had never felt pain from my dreams before, either. This is what I get for cooperating with him. Damn trances, causing me physical injury and whatnot. I should be angrier about this…

I got a shower, trying to be mad at Alucard (which I failed at). Upon getting dressed, I decided to head-bang instead of drying my hair. I efficiently soaked my entire room. I also efficiently gave myself temporary whiplash.

I was surprised to find that, even though I hated my job beyond all thought, I was bored as hell without it. I had absolutely nothing to do; I couldn't go to the mall, or my former boss may call the cops on me. I flipped through the paper, looking for a new, preferably not hellish, job. I couldn't find any, but then again my options were bit limited, what with being a minor.

As I was pondering what to do today, I got a headache. Awesome. I spent the next few hours lying on the small black couch; a couch covered in the material that sticks to you annoyingly when the temperature is even slightly above freezing.

I had almost fallen asleep again when Alucard showed up once more.

"You look so wonderfully helpless, lying there, so close to sleep." He said, looming over me from behind the couch.

"Well look at you standing there like a creep. Really, you can use a door. They exist, contrary to popular belief." I retorted as I sat up.

He chuckled and walked over to sit on the couch next to me. Then I remembered what I had been mad at him for earlier.

"Hey! Look what you did to me!" I growled, lifting my head up to show him the faint red bite marks that still circled my neck.

He traced the mark. "Hmm…" he murmured, leaning in as I leaned back until I was almost lying down, my head against the armrest.

Alucard was only a few inches from my neck when he froze.

"Don't…move…" he said, getting up silently and pulling his gun out. He walked slowly into the kitchen and melted through the wall into the building's hallway.

I sat up quickly, ignoring his order. What the hell was out there?! I was about to go look through the little peephole that came standard on apartment door when I felt a hand curl around my neck from behind.

At first I thought it was Alucard, but quickly revised that judgment when it tightened to the point of hurting me.

"What-?" I yelped when an arm came around in front of me, putting me in a chokehold.

I clawed at the hand that was definitely not Alucard's with no noticeable success. I began to panic more when I started to be dragged. I knew where I was being dragged to; the only window in my house that's large enough to jump out of. And jump out of my captor did, bringing me with him.

I thrashed violently the entire three story drop. For one thing, I knew this was a vampire, judging by the survival of such a fall with no problems. Well, almost no problems. When he landed his arm slipped slightly, letting me breathe and, because of this, scream. Loudly. I screamed bloody murder, one might say, though I'd prefer if it didn't come to that.

"Shut up, bitch!" He snarled, slapping me across the face and replacing his stranglehold. I wasn't about to be stopped with a bitch-slap. Wait, what kind of vampire bitch-slaps? Are you kidding me? I got kidnapped by a bitch-slapping vampire…? Damn it…

I continued to struggle, hoping that if I could keep him busy long enough, Alucard would come find me. He had to have heard me scream, right?

The vampire slammed me against the wall to my left, stunning me and making my vision change into bright neon dots.

"There." He said, noting my temporarily motionless form "Now stop your fidgeting or I'll do that again."

"Fuck you." I growled, kicking him as hard as I could between the legs. Much to my surprise, it worked! He dropped me and I started running. I guess even vampires had their weak points. _Male_ vampires, specifically. Or maybe, considering the bitch-slapping, this one just sucked.

As I ran down the street, I had time to wonder what the hell Alucard was doing. Because I think he should be, like, here, maybe? Just a thought. But a background noise to those thoughts was the profanities I was hissing under my breath as I ran.

I hadn't been running for even half a minute when he caught me again by grabbing a handful of my hair, making me scream. That is a freaking horrible way to be stopped from a sprint.

"You're more trouble than you're worth!" He yelled, pulling me around to face him.

He lunged toward my neck.

Gunshots rang out.

Seconds that seemed like an eternity later, Alucard was kneeling next to me as I sat, holding my shoulder.

"Pura, you're bleeding. I didn't hit you, did I? Are you alright?"

"No…" I whispered. I took my hand off my shoulder, revealing the mark. "He bit me."

Alucard had shot and killed the vampire, yes. But his head snapped down when he heard the first shot and he narrowly missed my neck. But he still bit me.

I couldn't read Alucard's face very well, as I was in a high state of panic. His expression was a mixture of rage and surprise, and that scared me. A lot.

A/N: short. Get the hell over it. The next one will be longer, I promise. But some serious shit's goin' down. Of this I assure you.

B/N: Remember 2 things and you will go far in life, Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold, and that there are 9 members of the official Rin tin tin fanclub.

A/N2: Am I one of those members?


	16. Xray

A/N: still no laptop…

A/N: still no laptop….and the prognosis for laptop is not good….DARIUS, NOOOOO!

Oooo I'm so excited to write these goings-on. In a few chappies you're all gonna be like 'noes!' and then it'll happen and you'll all be like 'sad face'. But the details to cause those sad faces are classified. But don't worry. I have juicyfruit gum. And Jones soda, which is like sex. Only in cream soda form.

Let's move on.

IT'S SATURDAY! and you know what that means! RESIDENT EVIL'S ON! Woot. Elevators are never good. So don't stick your head out of one when a computer is running it, cause yous'll be a dead bitch. Zmobies. NO MICROSOFT WORD, I DIDN'T MEAN 'ZOMBIES'! stupid-ass computer program. Next is resident evil apocalypse. But that ones DUM! Oh hellz, zmobie rottwielers. What in the hell? 'rottwielers' is a word! Stop trying to correct it you bastard of a word-processor.

Alucard pulled down the collar of my shirt to get a better look at the bite wound. He ran his finger over it, and I winced in pain. He looked over at the bloody pile of dust that moments ago had bitten me.

"You are a virgin, right?" he asked. That's a bit…um, straightforward.

"Uh…well, yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"It's the difference between you becoming a vampire or a ghoul."

"What?!" I yelped, jumping back. I don't want to be either of those, because he'll probably have to kill me if I am. I am so screwed.

"But…" he said, looking slightly confused.

"Huh?"

"You're not a vampire. You're still alive, I can hear it." He put his hand on the side of my neck, as if to make sure of this.

"So….what do we do?" Don't answer by shooting my in the face please…

He did nothing of the sort. "Well, I guess I should take you back to Hellsing to find out why you're not affected."

"Okay…that works. Um, how are they gonna find that out...?"

"Medical testing most likely." Shit! I hate needles! I hate them with a fiery passion. But then again, no one has ever walked up to me and was like: 'Hey! Ya know what I freakin' love? When people stab me and inject and/or take fluids from my body. I FUCKING THINK THAT'S GRAND!' Never has this happened.

Alucard tossed me gently onto his back, and I noticed that there was a thicker band of shadows where my shoulder was bleeding.

In twenty minutes we were in the Hellsing medical ward and Alucard was explaining the situation to one of the doctors there, who looked like he would have jumped if a sudden move was made. I, on the other hand, was sitting on a metal examination table, still bleeding. I was gonna need a new shirt.

"You're sure it was a vampire that bit her?" The doctor asked nervously. He kept slightly hiding behind this little clipboard he had.

"Yes. Half a dozen ghouls don't lurk around quietly in a hallway for no reason. The vampire set up a distraction. Nor do humans turn into dust when you shoot them."

The doctor picked up a stethoscope and walked towards me.

"Her heart rate's normal, maybe a little higher but isn't that to be expected in such conditions?" Alucard said before he even put it on.

"Oh, um, well, that's good then." The doctor looked unsure of what to make of that. Alucard, you show-off. But it _was_ funny.

The guy bandaged my shoulder and took my blood pressure when Integra walked in.

"Alucard, what's going on?"

Alucard bowed, strolled towards her and started explaining. But I wasn't listening in favor of watching what the man in white scrubs was doing over there. Because he just took out a hypodermic needle. Dammit!

He noticed my worry. "Don't worry, this won't hurt. I'm just going to take a blood sample."

"What the hell are you talking about? Of course it'll hurt!" I exclaimed. By his expression it was obvious that I was going to be right.

However, he proceeded to walked towards me, brandishing the horrible little thing. He grabbed my arm and was about to stab me when I scooted away. I was being difficult, but I didn't care. He gave an exasperated sigh and tried again with similar results.

I glanced quickly over at Alucard to find Integra had left and he was watching with a smirk. He walked over and took the needle from the doctor, who quickly stepped back. Alucard leaned over me in an intimidating manor, but then he can't do anything without being intimidating. I bet he can bake a cake in an intimidating manor.

"Pura…" he murmured, eyes glowing as he ran a finger along my arm and stopped a few inches above my elbow.

"Yeah?" I asked, unable to look away from his eyes.

I felt a sharp stinging pain on my arm where his hand had been. Damn you, Alucard, damn you and your diversions!

"Ow! You bastard!" I yelled as he filled the hypo up with blood, laughing. I looked away from the blood; it was making me feel sick.

He handed the needle back to the doctor who scurried out of the room quickly. Alucard sat next to me on the metal table (his feet touched the ground, mine, in contrast, dangled off the edge, far from the floor) and put his arm around my shoulders.

He chuckled "And I thought you were strange before. Now you're immune to vampires?"

"I guess so." I said quietly, leaning against him.

"Why are you depressed? This is a good thing for you. Or did you want to be one of the undead?"

"It's not that… I'm worried that something's actually wrong with me…" I poked at my bandaged wound and winced.

"The only thing wrong with you is that you refuse to stop pawing at your injury." He put his hand over the bandage so I couldn't prod at it anymore.

"What else am I gonna do with it?"

"I don't know. If I gave you a lollipop and a sticker would you stop?" He replied sarcastically. Well duh, who doesn't want a frigging lollipop?

At this point the doctor walked back in.

"If you'll follow me, we can take some x-rays."

Alucard picked me up without warning and (much to the doctor's horror) followed him down the hallway into a small room with an x-ray machine in it.

I was given one of those paper hospital gowns to wear and changed behind a screen. If you could call it a screen. Really, it was far off the ground and low at the top. Both the doctor and Alucard stayed in the damn room. The doctor, whatever, I don't care, but dammit, why did I have to change in front of Alucard? And no one bothered to explain why I couldn't just go to another room and change.

After the x-rays were taken I put my regular clothes back on and was instructed to go wait in the room I had just come from. I walked out, Alucard following silently. He easily kept pace with me, smirking as I got lost.

"You could help at any time ya know." I growled as I turned down yet another unfamiliar hall.

He grinned "Yes, but it's so much more entertaining watching you get helplessly lost."

"You're mean… at least tell me if I'm warm or cold."

He suddenly wrapped his arms around me from behind and pressed the side of his cold face against mine.

"You're quite warm, in my opinion."

That wasn't what I meant, obviously, but I couldn't roll my eyes or scoff; I couldn't even breathe.

Alucard chuckled at my elevated pulse and inhaled at my neck before picking me up and taking me back to the room in a matter of seconds. Through all of this I was still in frozen shock, which amused Alucard greatly.

He set me back down on the table and watched me try to regain control of my heart rate and breathing. "You're cold. By the way."

Alucard sat down next to me again, and I leaned on him, closing my eyes. I wondered whether he would be annoyed if I fell asleep on him.

I was nearly asleep when I heard the door open and someone walked in. The doctor had my x-rays. And judging from his expression, something was wrong. Shit.

Alucard got up and walked over, I followed nervously. The doctor held two sheets up to the light. One of my chest and one of my back. It was kinda freaky, seeing my bones and stuff. Then I looked closer.

Fuck.

A/N: okay, it's longer. By like 200 words. Look, I just keep getting to these good stopping points. I beg thee for thy forgiveness.

As it stands right now, I am disappointed with Panic! At the disco's new CD. It's different. And I refuse to acknowledge their removal of the exclamation point. I _like _the exclamation point, dammit! Some of the songs the new cd kinda sound like the Beatles. If I want to listen to the Beatles, I'll listen to the goddamn Beatles, not Panic! At the disco. So I'm gonna go download some other songs… _I smell sex and…canday-hay. Who's that lounging in mah…cha-hair? Who's that castin…devious stares in mah direction?_

Sorry. I'm just a bit addicted to that song right now…it's old but I kept forgetting to download it…

Here I go, off to continue the story without stopping. I am compelled by some unseen force, telling me, nay, _making_ me write. Marie, beta this. Chip chop chip.

B/N: I, Marie Lynagh, am very pleased with P!ATD's new CD, despite the exclamation point removal. Jennifer Taylor Pottymouth, you may, and should, and most likely will, go blow a goat.

A/N: I HATE YOU! CAPSLOCKBANDIT!


	17. Throw Beads For Pura

A/N: Aww…don't be hatin' on the cliffys

A/N: Aww…don't be hatin' on the cliffys. I'm just afraid if I leave it at a satisfying end people won't want more… which reminds me, this fic will end when I type 'the end', to clear up any future confusion. Aight, peeps?

Sigh….I wish I had my laptop…..I want to lie in bed and write long into the night. I expect this chappie to be short. But…it's devastatingly important. Plot-centric. That's a good word. It's also a little strange…

_conversation with myself_

"a little"?

Uhh…yea.

Then what's that? (points to truck labeled 'trippy, rave-tastic, LSD.' that is currently parked in front of my house)

Nuthin'…um……yarn……I'm…..going to knit. A lot.

I stared at the x-ray sheet, focusing on the one of my back. There were four long vertical stripes of bone on each side, both sets coming to a common point on my shoulder blades. The common point attached to another bone which bent at a joint and went a little behind my shoulder blades.

"There must be something wrong with the machine…it almost looks like you have wings or something…" The doctor muttered, his eyes continually flicking to the x-ray and then up at Alucard who was leaned in towards the x-ray with intent.

They had someone else get an x-ray, to see if the marks showed up on theirs too.

They didn't.

Assuming the machine had just temporarily glitched; they sent me back for a second x-ray.

The marks returned on mine.

The doctor cast a worried glance at me after hanging the sheets up against a lighted board. Alucard, however, was watching me closely; I avoided eye contact.

He turned to the doctor, who had been babbling quickly about the machine acting weird.

"Leave." He commanded. The doctor nearly ran out of the room.

Alucard turned back to me, but he wasn't angry like the previous tone of his voice suggested. "Pura."

"Yeah?" I answered nervously. No doubt he could hear my panicky heartbeat, but I might have been able to play it off as thinking something was wrong with me. I might have been able to do that, if he hadn't seen my back. So I knew what he was gonna ask.

"Take off your shirt." He could have just said 'let me see your back'…I hope I at least get some beads thrown at me… Still, I was obviously hesitant about taking my shirt off in front of him.

He noticed this and smirked. "Pura…I've seen women without shirts on before."

"That doesn't help!"

Alucard laughed. "If it makes you feel better, I've seen _you_ without a shirt too. I just want to see your back, anyway." Okay yeah, like that was any more reassuring…

All things considered, I think I'd rather be the one to take my shirt off, because there is no doubt in my mind that he could enact much stronger tactics than just asking me. Furthermore, those same tactics would most likely result in irreversible shirt-destruction. And I'd like to keep this shirt.

I turned my back to him and hesitantly took off my shirt. Normally, I didn't make an effort to show off my surprisingly frilly and ostentatious bras, but now I believed the investment in them was worthwhile, though I would still rather be wearing a shirt in front of Alucard. I felt the cold air that can always be found in this place on my now-exposed skin, but I didn't shiver until I felt Alucard's fingers lightly brushing along the edges of the markings on my back.

He put his palm on my back, splaying out his fingers. His hand melted into my back and I gasped quietly from the unexpected cold. Even less expected was what he did next.

Normally, I couldn't actually feel his hand if he phased it through me, just a weird, freezing-cold feeling that went through my body. But this time, I could feel his fingers tracing down my spine. It wasn't painful, like I would have expected, but it wasn't exactly pleasant to have someone reach into you and start poking at your ribcage. I yelped in surprise and tried to run, but he caught me with a hand curled around the back of my neck, stopping me, but not in a painful way. I'm glad he didn't try to tickle my spine. That would be a beyond interesting experience.

"Calm down…I won't hurt you…" Just as he said this, I realized that if he wanted to, he could literally rip my heart out. I started trembling, which he no doubt felt. Alucard chuckled slightly. "You shiver with fear when I tell you I won't hurt you, I wonder what you would do if I actually threatened you."

I would have snapped back with some witty response, but I couldn't speak. He had found what he was looking for; those extra bones that followed the pattern of the markings. I could feel his hand trace down one of the thin bones and gasped quietly.

He pulled his hand back "Pura…"

I didn't answer or turn around to face him.

"You knew these were here…" he ran his hand down my back. Thankfully it was down, not through again.

"…Yeah, I did…" I said, my reply almost silent.

"Wings, correct?" He wrapped his arm around my bare midsection and I shivered.

"Y-Yes" I was afraid of how he would react. He would probably kill me…

"Will you show me?"

I looked up at him, not knowing what to expect. He was watching me, a slightly troubled look on his face. I took a deep breath and walked a few steps forward, my back still turned to him. I reached back and undid the clasp on my bra, holding it in place with my arms.

I put my head down, brushed my hair off of my back, and showed Alucard my wings.

I knew what happened because I had done this in front of a mirror once. The whole process takes a little over a minute. The image on my back slowly gets depth, until it looks like a perfectly drawn and shaded set of wings. If you look closely you can actually see the wings start to rise up off my skin, but it happens so gradually you might not notice it happening at first. Suddenly I gain control over them and they lift off my back like giant flesh and bone stickers. Its then you see how much larger they are then they appear, the tip of each reaching down and skimming the floor.

Okay, so no, I'm not human. Well, that isn't entirely true; when I don't have these wings out, I _am_ human, with normal human abilities. But with them, I have mostly useless abilities, well, other than the flying. Useless, for several reasons, the major one being that people would notice huge fucking wings sticking out of my back. But back to the stuff I can do. I can run considerably faster than normal people, probably at a professional sprinter's pace. But…that pace isn't faster than Alucard…

At any rate I can do one other completely useless thing. For whatever reason I can freeze things. Don't ask me why, I have no clue as to the purpose behind it, other than making an ice skating rink in the middle of summer. That of course, would work, if I didn't have to have wings. That's why I had to leave the states; someone saw me, so I punched him in the face. Because being punched in the face by a demon-winged girl is much less believable than just seeing one. Just like being slapped by the loch-ness monster sounds much more stupid than thinking you saw it.

Although, I can't do any of this for about three minutes after I change, pretty much making this all useless for emergencies. Because if I change to get away from say, a rapist, I'm pretty much defenseless and much more likely to be stabbed, due to surprise of wings.

I clipped my bra back together as Alucard ran his hand along the edge of the black-fuzzed, bat-like wings. I turned and looked at him, hoping he wasn't taking out his gun. He was smiling slightly, but not in a mocking or scary way.

"This explains the immunity to being bitten. It might even explain why you smell so good…But your blood is definitely human, even now, so I suppose you're just naturally delicious." His statement didn't make me feel any better at all, but I was relieved to find that he wasn't angry.

I reached to get my shirt (it was cold…) and realized that I would need to get a new shirt anyway if I planned to wear this now. Oh well…I was gonna get some frostbite if I didn't put a shirt on soon.

"Hand me those scissors." I pointed to a set of small scissors sitting on the counter. He gave them to me and I cut two slits down from the collar, but not cutting through the shirt completely.

Alucard sighed, "You know I have to tell Integra about this…"

"Yeah…I know…" But I wasn't happy about it…quite the opposite.

He called her from the phone, and his expression was slightly troubled when he hung up. And that was bad.

"Come on, I need to take you to a different room." Alucard said as I pulled the shirt on over my wings. He picked me up smoothly without warning, causing me to yelp.

"Hmm…" He murmured, having a bit of trouble holding me around my wings. He eventually was able to put his arms around me comfortably, and carried me down a few more flights of stairs.

The room he took me to was mostly bare, and was painted an almost blinding white. There was a huge mirror on one of the walls. I knew better than to assume that it actually was meant to look back into this room from this room. That was a two-way mirror, and I could guess as to who was behind it.

Alucard set me down on the metal table in the middle of the room.

"Stay." He commanded.

He left, and I started moving around to try to find the angle at which I would be able to see what was on the other side of the mirror. I forget where I learned that looking through a two-way mirror at just the right angle will let you see to the other side.

I finally got the viewpoint right, and I was able to see Alucard and Integra talking on the other side. Integra…she looked upset; her fingers were pressed to her temples and a worried expression was on her face. She kept glancing back at me as Alucard talked to her, never looking away from me.

Now, I can't read lips very well at all. But some words are unmistakable.

Words like: 'Kill her.'

Words like: 'Yes, Master.'

A/N: In addition to being the CAPSLOCKBANDIT, I'm giving myself the title of CLIFFHANGERMASTER. Or maybe, considering what your responses will most likely be I should go with DAMMITWHYAREYOUENDINGWITHCLIFFYS?!111/1/1/?!/1?!one?!/11/1/?!/1?!/1?!forwardslash?1/?!

Really though, I'm sorry about the cliffy…I…I can't help it!

People who called it: Liz & Beth. Congrats! Cookies for you two!

In other news: SWEENEY TODD! YAAAAY!

I need a toga…I get extra credit if I wear it to school. Someone knit me a toga.

Where is my laptop...?

I actually do wear frilly and ostentatious bras, which doesn't always work out, because you can sometimes see them through my shirt…

Don't inquire about the freezing thing, that'll come into play in the next chapter (probably). So like…don't put that in your reviews.

B/N: If you would just wear black camisoles like I suggest and _offer_ then we wouldn't see your bright pink polka-dotted bras. Assssssssssssssssssssssssssssssshole.

Girlycard's an asshole, Giiirlycard's an asshole. Ass ass ass ass assity ass.

Oh, and the proper grammar would be, 'someone knit a toga _for me.'_ You always want to end your sentence in your indirect object, you asshole.

You're also an asshole for not bringing my cellphone upstairs, or singing The Who with me.

GEORGE WASHINGTON MY EYES ARE _UP HERE!_

A/N2: Marie would also like to add that I am an asshole once more for losing my flash drive in my own pocket.

Thanks, Marie.


	18. Escaping

A/N: I so called the angered/annoyed/saddened by cliffy thing

A/N: (puts on pink fuzzy tophat)

I so called the angered/annoyed/saddened by cliffy thing.

Still no laptop….why?….hwhy?….pourquoi?...warum?... porqué?...

I need to burn some hellsing dvds….like copy burn, not burn burn. I would probably cry if someone burned my hellsing… I'd be all like 'NOOOO! I WENT THROUGH HELL TWICE TO GET THEM!! NOOOO!!'

Seriously though…that's why I will never buy anything from amazon again. Those bastards lied to and cheated me….about Hellsing! How can anyone even fathom doing that?

But anyway…awww damn Pura's pretty much fucked, huh?

Why did everyone think it was a misunderstanding?...I'm gonna tell you now that YOU WERE ALL WRONG! HA! Oh no wait…that's bad…

LET'S WATCH! er…read…

Next chapter: 'nother musical interlude (Alucard's POV…so nothing good for Pura)

What the hell is wrong with Beck? His songs make no sense! He's just saying words! They don't even rhyme! OMGWTFBBQ?!

My first thought was 'I'm gonna die!' My second thought was drowned out by attempt to tear the cover off the air duct…well, that, shattering glass and gunshots. Two of them, which very narrowly missed. In fact, one of them blasted the cover off the air duct; and I darted into it.

I'd like to thank whoever made these vents, because I would defiantly be dead without them. While clambering through a labyrinth of these metal, cobweb-infested tunnels, I had time to have a complete mental freak-out. Which consisted of whispering in a high, hysterical voice every profanity I had ever heard. I eventually narrowed them down to 'fuck'. I don't think I've ever said it more in my life.

Something about this had really disturbed me though…he had shot at me… not bothering with trying to bite me; he really wanted me dead…I'm so screwed…I'm screwed beyond all belief. Shit, I really need to calm down. I don't want him to hear me...he'll still smell me.

Then I got an idea. But it was gonna hurt like a bitch. I reached back and tore a strip of cloth off my shirt…I'm gonna miss this shirt. I took off one of my shoes. Then I put the very tip of my tongue between my teeth and bit down. Hard.

My hand flew up to my mouth to stifle a shriek. I picked up the torn piece of cloth and set the bleeding tip of my tongue on it, trying not to gag on the taste of blood. As soon as the fabric was sufficiently covered in my blood, I tied it to my shoelace. Opening the air vent in front of me as silently as I could, I looked out cautiously. Upon finding the hallway deserted, I whipped the shoe/distraction down a passage to the left. I then headed to the right through the air vent.

I figured that if I bit my tongue, the blood wouldn't drip on the floor as long as I kept it in my mouth and dealt with the taste. Anything soaked in my blood would surely catch Alucard's attention…wouldn't it?

I continued to clamber through the air vents, but after a while I had to stop and get into the hallway. The metal was sticking up in places and scraping up my wings, which is incredibly painful. Like getting paper cuts in the webbing between your toes painful. Also, I couldn't afford to bleed now if I wanted my distraction to work.

Once I had pried the covering off the vent, I jumped down, landing quietly, fanning out my wings like a parachute so I would make less noise. I stood up and looked around nervously.

I needed to get out of this mansion. If I could get outside I could fly; if I could fly I could maybe get away from Alucard. The problem was I didn't know my way around here at all. Not even close. If I could just find a window…

The library has windows! Hell yes! And Walter seems nice enough to not try to kill me; or old enough. Hooray!

So…now my plan is to wander around here, looking for the library, while being hunted down by ridiculously powerful vampire who would love nothing more than to eat me. A terrible plan, but the only one I could come up with in such a panicked state.

I took off my other shoe, since socks are quieter. I also chucked that same poor shoe down another hall. I then started sprinting around, looking for some stairs. Stairs going up, preferably, because science has still not perfected the underground window that opens to three stories up. I was surprised to find the halls empty. I mean, even strolling around normally I saw soldiers.

I got up three floors before running into anyone.

"Stop!" Someone yelled. Why I complied I have no idea. I turned toward the voice to see four people kneeling and pointing guns at me. I was about to run when I saw who they were.

"Nick...?" I asked, horrorstruck. He flinched a little when I said his name. All four of the guys I played poker with were now aiming at me.

"What…why are you guys…doing this?" Something told me to run, but I was too confused. These people were my friends.

They exchanged glances, and one of them, Todd I think, stood up.

"Pura, you need to come with us."

I shook my head; I somehow knew that they would take me to Alucard. Damn, it would've been _so_ much easier if I would've continued my ogling at Brian from the coffee shop!

"We don't want to have to shoot you."

"Would you really shoot me?"

He looked away for a moment; then looked back. "We have to."

As soon as he said that I turned and ran. I don't think they followed me.

I continued to sprint through the halls, and skittered to turn a corner. When I saw what was there waiting for me, my muscles locked and I fell to the floor.

Alucard stood there, leaning against the wall, grinning at me. I clambered to my feet and started running, just as he began to walk at a leisurely pace towards me.

"Where are you going, little girl? Why don't you stay here for dinner?" He said and laughed.

I screamed and ran faster. I could hear his foots steps echoing slowly behind me. Why was he just walking?

Oh…fuck…

He was toying with me.

He continued to walk as I ran, and I soon lost sight of him. I also gained sight of the library doors after a few more minutes of running. I paused in front of the doors, panting quietly. I slid the doors open, praying they wouldn't creak. The doors complied.

"Hell yes." I whispered to myself.

I held my breath as I started to run towards the long window at the far end of the library. I was almost there when something very thin yanked my arm backward, and it probably would have cut me if my socks didn't slip on the polished marble, causing me to crash to the floor.

"What…?" I looked at my arm, trying to find out what had grabbed me. I couldn't see anything, but there was a circular depression in my skin, like string was wrapped around it. I pulled my arm away from it gently, and yelped when it cut into me. I stopped pulling and ran my fingers over the cut, looking for the weird invisible string. I felt it, and tried to get it off. As I pawed at the string, it caught the light and I saw that it was metal. I followed the glimmer of the wire to the source.

Walter was standing there, the wire wrapped around his hand, watching me with pity. I realized that everyone here either wanted me dead or didn't care if I lived or died.

I tried to get up and the wire tightened, making me sink back to the floor.

"Just stay here, Pura."

I got pissed. "What, so you can call Alucard and have him fucking eat me?!" He looked surprised, and didn't reply. I glared at him, and turned away, but continued to pull at the wire.

Then I got another idea. I was apparently resourceful when my life was in imminent peril. I grabbed the wire a little away from my arm, and froze the blood that had run along it. There was no immediate effect, so I kept dropping the temperature at that small point. When the wire itself started to frost over and turn white, I twisted it, and it snapped.

"How did you-?!" I heard Walter yell as I ran toward the window.

I had almost reached it, when something tore my back open.

A/N: MARIE STOP DICKING AROUND! DAMN IT WOMAN YOU PISS ME OFF

TO NO END!

B/N: I gave her my computer for 4 hours! And we get 3 pages. If she hadn't dicked around so much, she wouldn't have gotten dick _everywhere _and there'd be more. That dicknose.

I am the president of the beard-of-the-month club, I am also the vice-president.

JEN! YOU CAN BE ASSISTANT TO THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF THE BEARD OF THE MONTH CLUB! YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE SHE'S A TART!

That will be all.


	19. Musical Interlude II and continuation

A/N: THE CLIFFHANGERMASTER STRIKES AGAIN!

Hmmm….oh hey ya know what? I'm gonna be nice. Musical interlude and chappie continuation in this same installment! Because I feel bad. Not really. But just because this musical interlude is probably gonna be short. As will the chapter continuation, so I'll combine the two, separated by some kinda little separator thingy. (musical interlude equals Alucard's POV, if I didn't make it clear enough last chappie)

Meh, there were no good sci-fi movies on this week. All natural disaster ones, which are dumb. Actually, they're DUM. So there. Nyah.

I need to go watch me some Hellsing 4(well, that one scene in Hellsing 4. we all understand what it is, right? Good.), because Alucard needs to be sadistic. The sadisist. That is his title. Also sexy mo-fo. Dammit! That's why I need to go watch it; the sexy mo-fo image won't leave.

Ok screw that, that just made me wanna hide under the couch for a while.

Holy shit I need this OVA to be out in English and available for me to purchase NOW! Jen…need…….HELLSING!

Alright bitches (pink fuzzy top hat plus striped fingerless gloves) let's fucking do this.

B/N: Whose charm school was that…was it Biscuit? Biscuit's charm school?

Admittedly, happiness wasn't the first emotion to be felt when the order to kill was given. But it followed a fraction of a second later.

Somehow, she heard the order too; he could smell her fear. But no, he wouldn't kill here now, when she was already trapped. He wanted to have some fun. Still, he had to make Integra think he was trying to kill her, so he shot at the girl. Missing purposely, of course, he didn't want to see this girl die by a bullet wound. No…he would drain her. Slowly. He let her escape by hitting the air vent. He stifled a laugh as he saw her excitement at what she thought was a lucky miss when the cover was obliterated.

She moved with unexpected speed as she leapt into the dark metal tunnel. The hunt was on.

He walked out of the small chamber looking into the examination room, and as soon as he was in the hallway, he began laughing. Pura was his, now.

He turned his head quickly, and sniffed at the air. She had been injured, and the scent of her blood was almost irresistible. He glided through the walls in the scent's direction.

The distraction was quickly tracked down, and upon finding it, he grinned. She was more resourceful than he had thought. All the more fun he would have.

After a few minutes, he sensed the girl getting farther away. He followed her silently at a distance, wondering just how far she would get without being stopped by soldiers.

As if on cue, she ran into a group of them. The quivering sound of her voice showed how scared she really was. He listened in from a few halls away, not worrying about her being shot; these so-called soldiers were soft to those they knew. He heard her footsteps get louder as she unknowingly approached him. When it became imminent that she would encounter him, he leaned back and waited, thinking of something to say that would terrify her, which didn't take long at all.

She saw him, and his grin widened as her eyes grew huge with fear. When she hit the floor, she gasped a little and he smelled the blood on her breath. The sound of her screaming was beautiful. He could have killed her there, but no, he thought, he didn't want to eat in the hallway, he'd rather go somewhere quieter; somewhere darker.

For this reason he didn't chase her with much urgency as she ran; he had no reason to. He knew where she was going. He also knew that she would get no help there, if that's what she was hoping for.

Alucard walked through the halls, musing about what to do with the girl. Normally he would cripple his prey in some manner, but this girl was still mostly human. Crippling a human. To him it was almost redundant. Still, he didn't appreciate his dinner squirming around as he tried to enjoy it, so he would have to stop her movement without killing her.

He reached the library just in time to see her get captured. He waited, watching the events unfold. He smirked at the girl's confusion, and walked over to Walter without her noticing.

"Don't kill her." He told the butler quietly, who nodded.

He was amused by the manner that she escaped from the wires. But she wouldn't really escape from here. Keeping up with her run easily, he calmly placed one finger on her shoulder, drawing a diagonal line down her back, between those intriguing black wings, and ended just above her hip. He didn't sever her spine, just a shallow cut would suffice; the pathetic girl had no tolerance for pain. She sunk to her hands and knees when the blood exploded from her back. He heard Walter leave, and grinned as he stood over the shocked and trembling form of his prey.

* * *

A/N: heyheyhey whoa hey… Something just freaked me out. I was listening to slipknot's 'the virus of life' and paid attention to the lyrics for a change, and they effing reminded me of what I just wrote.

_I can see you but you can't see me  
I could touch you and you wouldn't even feel me  
Wait a second and you'll settle down  
I'm just waiting, 'til you really let your guard down  
You're relaxed, you're sublime, you're amazing  
You don't even know the danger you're facing  
If I'm quiet, I'll slide up behind you  
And if you hear me I'll enjoy trying to find you_

DAMMIT, SLIPKNOT! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! YOU BASTARDS!

Go listen to that by the way…because I think it's just peachy.

Well…I guess I really can call it a musical interlude now...

….why is there always just one loose mint in my pocket? I don't even buy mints! I steal them from my friends! I mean it's always there! Even when I clearly remember saying 'oh hey look there's a mint in my pocket' and then hid it on a shelf at the mall, IT RETURNS! I'M BEING STALKED BY A MINT! HELP MEEE!

OH SHIZ! I have an eye appointment next Friday…they're gonna touch my eye, I know it…QUICK! SOMEONE BREAK MY LEGS SO I CAN'T GO THERE!

Ok this chappie's end may lead some of you to ask questions that take logic's side of the argument. Just pm me the question and I'll either answer it or tell you the next chappie will. A'ight, peeps?

ON WITH THE CHAPTER!

* * *

I couldn't even scream; it happened too fast. A surprised gasp was all I could manage at first. I looked to the side, to see the bottom of Alucard's long coat and his boots. Then my eyes got all foggy, and a tear fell from one. I wasn't crying from pain alone. No, the pain I felt otherwise was much worse. The man I had loved was going to kill me…

"Al-Alucard...?" I whimpered. He made no sound to reply. Instead I felt him run two fingers along the gash, pressing hard. I cried out, and looked up to see him licking the blood off his gloved fingers. Then something hit me in the side. It hit me hard enough to snap my ribs on contact, and sent me flying across the room to crash into the far wall. I landed, crumpled on the floor.

I lost consciousness for a few seconds, waking up to see him walking towards me. From far away I understood that he had kicked me. I could smell the sickening odor of blood, and I didn't even realize at first that it was mine. Then the pain set in; ripping agony along my back and sides. I screamed, but he stopped that quickly.

He grabbed me by the throat and lifted me up, smiling at me. He leaned in, putting his face close to mine, inhaling deeply. I couldn't breathe, and my vision started blurring. I tried to pull his hand off my neck, but he wasn't even putting in an effort and I clawed at his hand with everything I had. After a few seconds, I couldn't even try to pull his hand away. My arms fell to my sides weakly as my mind started to go black...

"Oh." He said, as if he had just remembered something. His grip on my neck loosened and I could once again breathe.

And, as soon as I was able to breathe, I started struggling again. I was about to flap my wings to aid in thrashing, but moving them sent another wave of pain along my back where he had ripped it open. I gasped at the pain and stopped for a moment.

When he started to pull me closer to him, I began screaming and fighting again, whipping my head back and forth, spraying tiny drops of blood from my hair where it had touched my back.

He tightened his grip on my neck again, keeping my head still and choking my shrieking off to quiet whimpering.

I saw that the blood from my hair had speckled his face, and he slowly licked it off, enjoying it, much to my horror.

Alucard chuckled and pulled me close to him, slipping his arms over my wings and around my upper back, pressing me against his chest. He leaned down until his mouth was at my ear.

"Pura, do you know how far a human ribcage can compress without cracking?" he whispered. "I think we should find out."

My eyes widened and my breath came in quick little gasps. I resumed screaming as his arms slowly tightened around me.

When my wings snapped the pain was instantaneous. I couldn't be sure, but I think the bone cut through the skin. I stopped breathing at first.

I didn't start screaming again until my ribs cracked.

"ALUCARD!" I screamed, begging as he crushed the breath from me.

His only response was his laughter, taunting me.

Eventually I couldn't even scream any more, and just cried in fear and pain. I didn't remember closing my eyes, but I opened them when one of his arms moved away from my back and his grip loosened. My breath hitched painfully. I froze when I felt him start to tilt my head up; exposing my neck…

"No…" I whispered.

"Yes." He replied, taking my face in his hand and forcing me to lift my head. Alucard leaned in, brushing his lips against my neck, his cold breath gently spreading over my throat. I felt a cold puff of air as he blew my hair out of the way. He leaned back, and bent my head back down a little to look at him.

"You look surprised, Pura. Did you honestly think I wouldn't kill you? That was rather foolish of you, but then again, meeting me in the first place was foolish."

He bent my head back again, and looking down at him, I saw his mouth open impossibly wide. An open-mouthed grin, framed by those terrifying rows of pointed teeth. He tilted his head sideways and I screamed for only half a second before his fangs sunk deep into my neck, slicing effortlessly through my skin.

The pain I had felt in my dream and in the events leading up to this was nothing. The impossibly excruciating feeling seemed to resonate through my entire body, immobilizing me to the point where the only movement I had was involuntary twitches of my hands and feet.

He drew blood deeply and slowly from me, his jaw moving slightly as he drank. My mind grew hazy, but the pain didn't decrease. I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore…

In an instant, something inside me rushed, taking away the pain and paralysis for a fraction of a second, but that was all I needed. I snapped my hand up and clawed at his face, gouging at his eye. His mouth opened in surprise and he dropped me.

I hit the floor on my side, but I somehow got out of the library into the hall. The doors had been opened slightly when he kicked me into them, I guess.

My neck was gushing blood, and I put my hand to it, almost gagging as my fingers hit the hot, sticky blood. I tried to stop the bleeding in vain, and I slumped against the wall. I looked up weakly.

Integra was standing there, a look of horror on her face.

'Please…' I tried to say, but no sound came out.

I collapsed to the floor. It was getting really hard to breathe…

A shadow descended over me. It was _him._

He grabbed me by my bloody neck, and lifted me up as I tried to yell out.

The last thing I heard as I looked into the burning crimson eyes of the creature bent on devouring me and about to succeed was his screamed name.

The name of the monster that was killing me.

The name of the man I had loved.


	20. Rampant POV Changes

A/N: did you think it was over? Hellz nawz.

We started sex ed in health today…And…my class is really immature. One kid didn't know what something was, so the girl next to him tried to explain, and had to gesture…and as soon as he said he didn't know what it was, one kid turns around and yells 'YOU KNOW _HE'S_ NOT GETTING ANY!' hilarity ensued. Oh god…the teacher made the mistake of giving us a pre-test and then letting us answer the questions when she went over them…many words were blatantly yelled. A popular one was 'sack'.

Back to something you're following.

I'd like to clarify, that Pura's wings are like bat or dragon wings. The leathery, clawed type o' wings, no feathers involved. Forgive me if this was unclear earlier.

Who's ready for rampant POV changes? I SURE AM!

First POV change is…INTEGRA! WOOOO!

Well…first is Pura but…eh you'll get it.

B/N: POV CHANGES SQUARED?! THAT'S MESSLAPD!

* * *

I didn't know how long I had been unconscious before my awareness returned. The pain came with it. I was cold, especially my forearms and legs. I couldn't move them either. Something was moving across my mangled neck. I realized vaguely that it was his tongue. He still wanted more of my blood...?

The coldness spread up my arms and across my torso, and consciousness slipped away once more.

* * *

After giving Alucard his orders, Integra had gone up to her office. She began to fill out paperwork, but her mind was elsewhere. Who was it really that she had just condemned to death? A demon that was hell-bent on infiltrating the Hellsing organization, or a terrified sixteen year-old girl? Not a human girl, but not far from it either, so she appeared.

She put her fingers to her temples and tried to concentrate on the papers on her desk, rather than dwell on the image that plagued her thoughts; the unrestrained fear on Pura's face as Integra commanded the vampire to destroy her.

After only ten minutes, a distant shriek pierced the otherwise silent air of the office. Integra looked up quickly, and when she heard nothing more, she went back to the documents, far more distracted than before.

This girl…she had held so much devotion for Alucard. She had been in love with him. Something like that was unmistakable, even though Pura had tried hard to hide the fact.

So much was making Integra doubt her decision. One of the most prominent facts was the nervousness Pura expressed when around Integra. True monsters wouldn't be afraid of a human, no matter who it was. Even her pet often smirked around Integra, as if to say how much more powerful he was than her, bound to protect and follow her or not.

She had just been getting the thoughts out of her head when the screaming started. Not the howls of a demon being cast into hell, but the high-pitched, tortured screams of a young girl being viciously torn apart by the No-Life King.

She sat, deeply troubled, at her desk, listen to the cries floating up from the library directly below her office. After more than three minutes of this she got up. She was going to stop this.

She began making her way out of the office when the noise tapered off and then stopped completely. Integra quickened her pace, eventually getting up to a near-run, hoping that she wasn't too late.

The slightly ajar doors came into view, and she approached them, half-knowing yet dreading what to expect when she looked inside. Suddenly, one of the doors creaked open, and at first, Integra didn't even recognize her under so much blood.

When she did realize who had just staggered out of the library, she was in shock. How could this girl still be alive? A huge diagonal slash was splitting her back in two, but more importantly, her neck was in tatters. A product of the ravage Alucard mercilessly inflicted on her. The impressive black wings she had proudly held parallel to her back were now dragging on the floor, obviously broken in several places. Integra could see the white of bone where it had ripped through her skin, leaving twin trails of blood in addition to the gore that splashed down from her neck and back. The floor was looking less like a mansion's and more like a butcher's.

Integra stood horrorstruck and saying nothing. Pura hadn't even seen her, and she now leaned against the wall, hand at her throat, trying to stop the blood.

Fully expecting the girl to die right there, Integra was amazed when she looked up and locked eyes with her. Eyes wild with panic and fear.

It looked like the girl said 'please', but of course, no sound was made. Integra knew her pet's way of doing things. For whatever reason, he silenced his prey, purposely damaging the larynx with his fangs.

She fell to the floor, and Alucard glided out of the library and picked her up by her already shredded neck.

"Alucard!" Integra yelled, meaning for him to stop.

He paid her no mind and pulled the limp girl close to him. Integra thought he was about to bite her again as he lowered his head to her throat and opened his mouth to expose his incredibly sharp fangs. But instead his long tongue snaked out and he lapped at the blood that was pulsing out of her neck. Shadows began to wrap around the girl's frame, shadows that glowed faint red and orange, as though they were hot coals. Integra knew damn well that they were far from hot. She noticed Pura's hand twitch as a shadow swirled around to engulf it; she was still alive, maybe even conscious.

"Alucard! I order you to stop!" She shouted in a mixture of anger and horror, trying to mask the latter.

The vampire's body jerked, and he looked up, lifting his head away from the girl's neck, eyes filled with annoyance and perhaps even rage. The black shadows that had almost reached Pura's neck melted off, revealing her to be undamaged, by the shadows, at least.

"Is there something you want, master?" Alucard asked, his voice calm but his eyes glaring.

"Yes, there is servant. Take her to the medical ward, and tell them to heal her. Go, quickly."

"I suppose you want her there _alive._" Alucard snarled.

"You're well aware that I do, Alucard. Now go."

Alucard cast another enraged glare at her, before turning sharply and re-positioning the girl to carry her without hurting her more. He walked through the wall, leaving Integra alone in the bloodstained hall, praying that her orders were enough to protect the girl.

* * *

A/N: 'nother POV change. You like musical interludes? Of course you do! Here's another one! I'm being productive! Yay! I would like to add that I am very, very sad at the leaving of HotPantsHeather from the writing hellsing oneshots, stories, and the like. HEATHER! COME BAAACK!

Edit: The day after I type that, Heather comes back. Screw you guys, I'm effing pyschic. Give me twenty bucks and a funny hat and I'll read your palm.

This musical interlude begins just after he broke Pura's ribs...

* * *

I held the struggling and broken girl in my arms, not being able to stand it any longer. After weeks of denying myself her blood, having it spilled across the room was just too much. I bit into her, slicing through tendons and muscle with ease, the small girl's neck fitting nicely in my mouth. The pain had frozen her, and I fully tasted her blood. I hadn't anticipated so much difference between biting her and just tasting the blood, but the difference was great.

I severed both her jugular and carotid, but I was surprised to find that her blood didn't spurt from her wounds.

I drank from her slowly, savoring her blood, feeling her heartbeat falter and slow. In my euphoria, I let my attentiveness slip. So when her heart began pounding again, I didn't react immediately. I didn't think anything would come of it.

Then she reached up and scratched my face open. I let her go in surprise rather than pain, which was nonexistent.

Somehow she managed to get into the hallway, and I noticed something very unusual. Her body had begun to produce blood cells more rapidly than I would have thought possible for a human. But then again, it is obvious that this girl isn't human. I rather liked the showing of this ability; more blood for me. I healed my face before going off to catch her again.

As soon as I got out there, I noticed Integra but didn't acknowledge her. After all, I had a mission to carry out…and my mission was lying helpless on the ground, just waiting for me.

Integra spoke my name but I again ignored her. I picked Pura up; noting that the muscles and tendons in her neck that snapped deliciously under my fangs had begun to repair themselves; though her neck was still torn apart. I decided to lick her blood off her neck rather than biting her again. Biting into an already damaged throat is…unsatisfying. I began to wrap my shadows around her, able to taste the blood soaking her body through them. Feeling her warm body growing colder.

Integra spoke, more forcefully than before, ordering me to stop enjoying my meal.

I angrily looked up, releasing the girl from the grip of my shadows.

My master ordered me to take Pura to the medical ward.

I carried the mangled, pathetic creature. The girl that should be mine was now going to be given medical attention. She lay, completely limp but alive in my arms; I wanted to crush her.

I reached the small room where this trouble had all begun, and set her down on the table. I started to leave to find a doctor, but I looked back on her; her arm hanging off the table, blood trickling down and dripping off her finger, pooling on the ground. The rise and fall of her chest getting weaker with every breath. She looked so fragile. If I left, I was sure the girl's life would slip away. I told myself that I wanted to be responsible for and there to witness her death, but a thought in the back of my mind said that this girl shouldn't be left to die alone. I scoffed at the notion of sympathy and picked her up, walking off to find a doctor.

I tracked one down quickly, and told him to fix her. When he hesitated, I set Pura down, and picked the man up by the collar with one hand.

"I said to fix her." I repeated, shaking him.

I set him back down and he began making calls, demanding more staff to come down here. Of course they would need more staff; this girl shouldn't even be alive. She should be dead and I shouldn't be hungry.

The humans scrambled about, and I stood in the corner, watching them. They began to hook her up to annoying machines that beeped in time to her heart, masking the natural sound to me. One of them asked if she should do blood work to verify her blood type. The doctor in charge of this chaos was about to answer when I cut him off.

"AB." Lucky her. She could receive any of the other four types of blood with no harmful side effects.

They looked up at me, nervous. Pathetic.

They began to scurry about again, and I leaned against the wall, arms crossed; my eyes never leaving the bloody form of the one prey that had escaped me.

* * *

A/N: I think I've made some good progress. When this will get betaed I don't really know. My beta is being all dramatic in the drama club play all this effing week, and she's a ho-bag, what with not getting on the interwebs for me to send the file to her. Don'tcha just love my tendency to not be able to stay on one POV?!

I have a good reason. This wouldn't be half as long if I stayed on poor mauled Pura's POV, because she's in no state to report the goings on.

I should like inform you of what kind of timeline this is…

I'm gonna say about a year before Seras gets there, but pushed forward into now, so I can put things like iPods in my storyline.

I dedicate this chappie to my new pair of tripp pants. They jingle even more so than the last pair, but I love them both. Also my flip-flops, which have like a four inch heel on them.

B/N: Shut up you damn weeker. I hatechu.

GEORGE WASHINGTON MY EYES ARE UP HERE!


	21. Broken

A/N: Aight. Alucard's POV for the most part, as it stands now. Any obscure medical terms were looked up, because I am too lazy to look over my biology notes. I probably should look up something about neck muscles/veins/arteries/anything the eff else so I can at least have an appearance of knowing what the hell I'm talking about…but looking at diagrams of arteries makes me feel all weird all up in my neck-le region, and it's not a very good weird.

Ok I went and did that any way. And I was right in assuming that there would be rather graphic diagrams, and that I would feel all weird. I'm sure some of the faces I made were rather amusing too.

And I still have no idea whether you can get your larynx damaged without getting your trachea ripped out…

The tall, intimidating vampire stood in the corner of the room and watched without saying a word. He watched the doctors, nurses, and surgeons rush into the room and attempt to stabilize the girl, surprised that the blood transfusions they gave her barely changed her scent. He watched them as they cut her clothes, which were already in shreds, off her body. He smirked as he imagined what she would have to say about this, had she been in any condition to speak.

The doctors, upon seeing her chest and sides, gasped. Her frame was contorted from the extent of the broken bones; her skin pushed up in some places and sunken in others, as if a tiny mountain range was made under her skin.

Alucard flinched at the fresh scent of her blood as they cut her open to set the broken bones. He ran his tongue over his teeth; trying to taste her blood again and stop himself from moving across the room and getting it straight from her neck. He was surprised that not only hadn't her lungs been punctured by her shattered ribs, but that she sustained no internal injuries at all.

Meanwhile, another group of doctors had been trying desperately to close the gaping wounds on her neck.

At one point, they were forced to ask Alucard for help; they had to flip her over to repair the damage to her back and wings, but moving her might further injure her ribs. Alucard made no move to help at first. He glared at the girl lying unconscious and perhaps dying on the operating table. After a few tense seconds he walked over and leaned over the girl. He could smell death on her, but it was very faint, showing that there was still a slim chance to save her.

Alucard sighed and gently lifted the girl without touching her, making her rise off the table and turned her over. He lowered her back to the table but didn't let her rest upon it, instead keeping her floating a few inches above the metal surface to prevent her ribs from cracking, as they would if she were to lie on them.

The doctors were unsure how to set her wings; wing-repair was not covered in medical school. Alucard watched the humans with annoyance. He grabbed the end of her wing and held it up, looking at the snapped bones as well as admiring the extended limb. He ran his fingertips over the ridge where one of the lesser fractures lied just under the skin. He moved to the spot where the bone had torn through and pressed it. The bone clicked back in place; the girl's entire body twitched in pain and she audibly gasped.

Alucard draw his hand back quickly. He frowned; why had he taken his hand away…? Was he unwilling to hurt her now? He growled, causing some of the doctors to draw back, and went on clicking the bones back in place, despite Pura's pained shuddering.

Eventually the doctors got the idea and set to work setting her shattered wings, putting surgical pins into the bones to keep them from healing crooked. Alucard wondered if she would be able to fly again, though he had never seen her do so in the first place.

They stitched her back along the jagged slash, and were just getting to bandaging it when Integra walked in. A doctor walked over and Alucard listened in on the conversation.

"How is she?" Integra asked.

The doctor sighed. "Critical. I have no idea why she is even alive at this point, she lost almost 80 percent of the blood a girl of her age would have, and the loss of 40 percent of blood to anyone is fatal. If that wasn't enough, even a 20 percent blood loss combined with the shock of that much pain should have killed her. In accordance to her injuries, all of her ribs, both vertebro-sternal and vertebro-chondral, were broken or fractured in some way. The slash along her back ripped through much of the muscle, but the odd thing is, we can only tell that by the scarring on the muscle."

"What scarring? She was only attacked an hour ago!" Integra exclaimed.

"That's what I mean, sir Integra; the scars follow the exact pattern of the cut, yet look months old…the same with her neck. While both her jugular and carotid were severed completely, which alone should have caused death in less than three minutes, they are barely bleeding as one would expect. Essentially, this girl had her throat slit twice, one for each side of his mouth, but there's no arterial spray."

"Will you be able to save her?"

"At this point I really don't know. If we were dealing with something human I'd say there's no chance in hell. But I've never encountered something like her, so I really can't say how she will do.

"There is something troubling though. Her neck won't stop bleeding, and we cannot stitch it up. After several tries to sew it, the surgical thread just ripped through her skin, making her bleed more than before. As long as we keep the wound clean and bandage it, I don't think it is life-threatening on its own, but it worries me."

Integra sent him back to work, and noticed Alucard standing by the girl.

"Alucard! What are you doing here?!"

"Helping." Alucard replied. She glared at him. He smirked back and turned back towards Pura. "Don't worry Integra, I have no plans to harm this creature right now…" He ran a gloved finger down the girl's cheek. Integra looked at him in confusion. He had just torn apart this girl with full intention of eating her, yet now he was assuring that he wouldn't hurt her?

Integra shook her head and left, reminding herself that it was pointless to try to understand Alucard.

The doctors, however, tried in vain to decipher the vampire's actions. Was he just proving his cruel tendencies by helping the girl, then attacking her again later? No one put it past him to do this, and he certainly wasn't disturbed by seeing the devastation he inflicted her. In fact, he was looking at her with a slight smirk on his face, as if her utter helplessness was amusing.

And to him, it was. If she had seemed defenseless before it was nothing to how she looked now. By now she was laying back down on the table, and the staff was bandaging her up and pressing buttons on the many machines around the room. Tiny dots of blood were appearing on the gauze around her neck, and he lightly touched one of the spots.

Her eyes flew open unseeingly and her back arched up from the metal. Her hands were clawing at the sides of the table as she screamed silently. Alucard yanked his hand back, surprised at such an immediate effect. Pura fell back on the table and her eyes closed as she sunk back into her previous comatose state.

The doctors made a commotion, thinking that she had woken up. They were disappointed, her eyes only opened involuntarily, and none of them could invoke a similar response.

Alucard looked on, standing back against the wall, watching as the humans poked and prodded at her neck. He knew why they couldn't cause much of a reaction. Subconsciously, she knew it was him who had touched her neck. And he had barely made contact with the bandage; he hadn't even touched her skin. Even if she survived this, she would be unimaginably terrified by his very presence.

He wasn't sure what to make of this fact… He wanted to be angry; such a weak little creature, such a coward.

But for some reason the thought made him…sad.

He growled at himself and quickly left through the wall; the doctors, who were now placing her on a stretcher to take her to a proper bed, jumped at his snarling and looked around confused.

Three days later she still hadn't woken up. But she could feel the pain through her unconsciousness; she had clawed the sheets under her hands to shreds from her pained writhing. It would be much easier if she was able to yell out, but in her silence it was impossible to know if the drugs had worn off without checking on her.

Though no one knew it, Alucard frequently walked past her room at night. He walked by to smell her blood and listen for her heartbeat, for it had grown faint, as was expected. Whenever he glided by, no sounds were heard other than her quiet, though often erratic heartbeat. The reason for this was obvious, however; her sleep was plagued with nightmares. If he looked into her mind he could see them…and he was always the focus.

He didn't read her thoughts often, even before this. He had enjoyed the unpredictable quality of the girl; she switched from quiet and depressed to playful in seconds. He also had only expected hear only the ramblings of a teenage girl, which, full of inside jokes and raging with hormones, were impossible to decipher into any language.

This time when he walked by, he heard rustling. He phased his head through the wall and saw Pura writhing in pain. Alarmed, he walked in and stood over her.

She had her hand at her neck, apparently trying to remove the bandage. She was also hurting her arm, as the IV needle in it was moving around under her skin.

He frowned; what was he supposed to do with her? He turned to leave and go find a doctor who could give her some pain medication. Then he realized that half-asleep medical personnel and morphine don't mix very well.

He sighed and picked up the clipboard hanging at the foot of the bed. He read the dosage and filled a hypodermic needle with morphine. He smiled as he remembered her skittish reaction to needles. There would be no need to find a vein, however. He merely injected the drug into the IV. The effect was quick; her formerly pain-contorted face relaxed, and her hand fell away from her neck.

As he stood, still pushing the plunger of the needle slowly into the IV drip, he watched her. Her blue-green eyes opened slowly, and she stared at him. He looked back in shock, wondering why she was so calm, even under the drugs.

He didn't wonder for long; this room would look like black nothingness to a human. Still, she seemed to stare directly at him.

He pulled the needle away but stayed watching the girl. Soon her eyelids began to droop, eyes still never leaving the spot where he stood. Nearly asleep, he heard her gasp and saw her eyes widen for a spilt second before the haze of the medication pulled her once more into sleep.

A/N: meh. I know, I know, nothing really happens. So you don't have to tell me that in your reviews, 'kay?

Now then. The next chapter will either be a bunch of stories or several small chapters. Why don't you peeps tell me what you'd prefer? Because the several small chappies will be updated quickly, but the one long chappie may take a while.

Ewww. I had to dissect a crayfish today. Formaldehyde is not a nice thing to smell riiiiight before lunch. On a much better note, because our homeroom teacher is great, we watched monty python and the holy grail during 9th period (study hall at the end of the day). It's the quiz bowl homeroom, where all the nerds such as myself get assigned when we join quiz bowl, which is a trivia type game, all full of obscure question that we are expected to answer so we can compete against the other school's quiz bowl teams. But anyway, we all were laughing like crazed, teenage hyenas, and I'm pretty sure the room next door thought we had gone insane. By the way, how could you have been alive and in social situations for 15+ years and _never_ have seen the holy grail? It don't make no sense. Nope nope.

Now where's my beta?

B/N: HERE I AM! I might join quizbowl, because you, Fajjr, AND Mr. Kite are all in it!


	22. Wake Up

A/N: mmmkay. By popular vote thus far, several small chappies. Yip yip. We found Mr. Kite's (codename) house. Hark; is that the sound of a weary Kite in need of being taken advantage of?

I do believe it is. Let's go, Marie. Ah, such creepy stalkers are we.

ON WITH THE CHAPPIE!

B/N: That's my quote!

A/N2: I know it is, but I just stole it.

I don't know how long it was. I didn't know if I was sleeping or dead. If I was dead, surely I was in hell; it was torture, over and over and over again. And Alucard was always the torturer.

It was torture, because always, he would tell me that I didn't have to run from him. That he wouldn't hurt me. That my wings didn't matter. That Integra had never given him an order to kill me. That he loved me.

That last thing was always said, and when he said it, I disregarded everything. Even though I could remember the words Integra had told him. Even though I could so distinctly see his grin as he crushed me against him. Even though I could still feel the hideous pain when his fangs clamped onto my neck. Even though I could still sense his joy when he did so.

That's why it was such torture that I could only be in hell. I wanted to hear that from him more than I could ever hope to want anything. I could never distrust him, I'm just that pathetic, I suppose.

I would walk towards him, and he would pull me gently against him in a comforting embrace. Then he would whisper something I could never hear.

"Huh?" I'd say, looking up at him.

Then he would grin, and one of his hands would seize my throat. Then he would torture me.

It wasn't always the same, but it always killed me. And when that nightmare or vision, or whatever it was ended, a new one would begin again.

It got to the point where I just prayed he would simply bite me. The pain was just that bad. He would impale me. He would strangle me. He would use his hellhound. He would do something to my eyes. And he would do everything else. Things that fueled my idea that this was hell, because I knew I couldn't even imagine such horrors. But through everything, he would laugh. A horrible, cackling laugh that echoed throughout my entire body, drowning out my screams.

That's all I ever saw. For what seemed like an eternity. But then, two minutes of that would seem like an eternity too.

Then, all at once, it just stopped. I opened my eyes with a gasp and stared up at a buzzing fluorescent light. I turned my head to look around and was hit with pain at my neck, pain that felt like a toned-down version of the actual bite.

Toned down, but it still left me writhing in agony for a few moments.

I discovered that moving at all hurt, so I lied still, trying to ignore the little twinges that breathing caused.

I tried to figure out where I was. I assumed I could rule out death, because this didn't seem much like hell and heaven wouldn't be this painful. The air around me had a strange smell, like that of a hospital. And I probably should have figured that out earlier.

Why was I in a hospital…?

I heard the sound of a door opening, but I didn't try to lift my head to see who it was; I wanted to avoid that hideous pain at all costs.

Whoever it was walked around, not saying anything. I lied there, knowing that I still couldn't speak (I had tried to scream when I turned my head) and then I thought of something that made my blood freeze.

What if it was _him_?

He would kill me. I would have no way to get away this time.

The footsteps got closer and closer to the bed where I lay, completely helpless and smelling irresistible.

My pulse quickened, and my breathing became more painful. A shadow came over me and I cringed.

I heard the sound of something metal clattering loudly to the floor and someone yelling "Oh!"

* * *

Alucard sat, one leg crossed over the other, in the tall-backed wooden chair swirling a glass of dark red wine. He stared at the liquid without drinking it. The vampire was troubled.

What was wrong with him? For the past two weeks, he had been checking up on the girl. No one knew if she was going to live, and things kept going wrong. He was actually _worried_ about her. _Sad_ that she no doubt would avoid him at all costs. It was ridiculous. Those were human emotions.

He snarled and tightened his grip on the wine glass without knowing it. The glass shattered and wine showered down.

He snapped back to reality and opened his hand. The glass had cut through his gloves and his skin. He flicked his hand to the side and the shards flew out of his palm and, upon hitting the wall, began to glow orange and melted. The glass bubbled into the cracks on the floor and flowed back toward the chair where a small puddle of molten glass waited. The tiny river of liquid glass met up with the larger puddle, and began to grow off the floor. It formed into an ornately engraved wine glass, with tiny swirled forms reaching up the stem to appear to hold up the glass itself. Alucard smirked at his craftsmanship and picked the glass up.

Something like that was good for a momentary distraction, but his mind soon wandered back to the problem at hand.

He sighed and was about to reach for the bottle of wine when he heard Walter running down the hallway to the room. The butler opened the doors.

"Hello, Walter. Something rather important must be going on to make _you_ run." Alucard said, smirking.

"Very funny, Alucard." Walter replied, unamused. "But there is something going on that you might find interesting."

"Oh is there?" Alucard asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Pura's woken up."

The wine glass shattered again as it hit the floor. He hadn't bothered to fix it that time.

A/N: Well, since I'm home sick today, I'll get right to work on the next chappie. That's the good news. The bad news is that my beta's at hell…I mean school…either one is correct, they are one in the same.

Did I miss a meeting somewhere when they changed the meaning from 'don't' to 'please, for the love of God, do'? I must have.

Comments on the movie 'toy story':

Marie: Andy's such a douchebag.

John: Can you blame him? His mother's a skank!

Marie and Jen: Laughter ensues

John: Well, do you ever see a father figure? Not on Andy's birthday, not on Christmas. No. Single parent, one kid and a baby. It's no wonder the kid's a douchebag.

_(in reference to a dog running as fast as a car)_ Jen: THAT WOULDN'T HAPPEN!

Marie: half of this stuff wouldn't happen, Jen.

B/N: That was fun times.


	23. Drafted

A/N: I could fashion a better plot (or a plot in the first place) for the movie Dead Silence out of paperclips and string. Seriously. Give me some office supplies and I will make you a plot that _maybe_ someone can choke down. Damn, even the 'scary' parts sucked. How bad a director do you have to be to fail at jump scares?

Heh. I got four extra hours of sleep on a weekday. Being sick does have its upsides.

…awww I'm sad now…surfing the internet all day reminded me of how much I desperately want hellsing 4 and god knows when it'll come out since Genon US closed down…I need a hug…

_Prescribe pills, to offset the shakes to offset the pills_

Old Panic! At the Disco, come back…I miss you

And in other hellsing news: YOU BASTARDS, I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU MAKE A LIVE-ACTION HELLSING MOVIE I WILL KILL YOU ALL.

There's actually a pitch for it. This news horrifies me; they would never, I repeat _never_ be able to pull it off. So no. No you guys, no.

Oh I just remembered. Anyone catch the foreshadowing from chappie 12…er…13? It was quite subtle, I admit. In the beginning she says she won't be able to walk in four days. And she's right!

B/N: I'm listening to new panic right now. Effing amazing

_Things are shaping up to be __**pretty odd.**_

* * *

The doctor (who, as it turns out, was the original one who met me) began to make calls to what seemed like everyone in the mansion, individually. But only more medical staff came in, which annoyed me, because I could hear them, but I couldn't see them unless they stood over me.

Due to the fact that they were pretty much just running around, I closed my eyes and tried to let my mind wander without falling asleep.

My eyes snapped open when someone poked my side. My hands clenched and I gasped, my head twitching back making me silently howl in agony again.

When the pain dulled, I heard what could only be someone being smacked upside the head, pimp-hand style. Which was both good and bad. Could the people treating me be a little less professional? I sighed and tried to ignore these apparent idiots.

Suddenly I felt cold. Was there a window in here…? I opened my eyes and looked around as best I could. No, there was an extreme lack of windows in this general area. I did see, however, someone injecting some kind of clear liquid into the IV tube running down to my arm. Which, by the way, was starting to itch.

The weird cold feeling didn't leave, but my neck and chest felt better. I lifted my head slightly and was surprised to find that there was almost no pain. Jesus, what did they give me? Whatever it was, it's probably very illegal. But what the hell, it felt good.

I sat up slowly, still curious to the origin of this freezing cold. None of the doctors (I found out now that there were like twelve of them in this little room) seemed to notice it. I stared around the room, and the temperature kept dropping; it got to the point where I started to shiver. I realized that my left side was slightly colder than my right, and I looked around the left side of the room until I pinpointed the place it was coming from. It was coming from right by the door.

I stared inquisitively at the wall, wondering if there was a draft or something.

A little black swirl appeared for only half a second on the floor where the wall connected to it. I was so drugged; I didn't understand it at first. Then I think my heart stopped. I gasped and jumped back against the metal rod that was supposed to be an adequate headboard of the hospital bed, sending agony up my back from the cut and my wings.

But I ignored it.

My breath caught in my throat; he was right outside, I could almost see his insane grin as he heard my heart race. Then what he was doing dawned on me.

He was waiting for everyone to leave so I would be completely alone.

I tried to shriek and run, but the pain returned suddenly, making me collapse in agony, halfway off the bed. The doctors yelled out and set me back on the bed, but not before further sedating me.

I lied on the bed, screaming inside but unable to move.

A few minutes later, Integra walked in. Even through the drug-induced haze I could see she was looking down at me with pity. Though through the same drug-induced haze, I couldn't remember why.

I heard her murmur something that sounded like, _I wonder if she'll even remember this._

"Pura, I truly am sorry for what you've been through. And I'm also sorry that I have to do this, but you can't go back home."

'What?' I tried to say.

"I'm afraid I have to draft you into service here at Hellsing. The Council of Twelve is bound to hear about this; and from there the queen. I can't tell them I let something not quite human out on the streets. Of course, you can have time to recover, and you don't necessarily have to fight anything, I just can't let you out into the world; if I were to do so, someone would no doubt be sent to kill you, and I don't want to have to be the one to send someone again."

I nodded as well as I could and she left.

The doctors, evidently deciding I was easier to work with when I was unconscious, gave me more freaky drugs. In a few minutes, despite my best efforts to fight the medication, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

A/N: Wow, lots of these chapters turn out to be in two parts, huh? I'm gonna do that here again, because no one's been complaining. WHOA! I painted my nails awesome-colored. Which is half black, half somethin' else. This week, the somethin' else is a mostly metallic blue color that changes into green and purple depending on how the light hits it. Tis awesome-tastic.

Oh yea the cold thing is some kinda Alucard-spidey sense that only works when she's awake, and no, she didn't have it before. My fanfic, I'll make up the fuckin' rules. So there. nyah.

B/N: "I'm afraid I have to draft you into service here at Hellsing. The Council of Twelve is bound to hear about this; and from there the queen…"

Integra: THEY'RE GONNA TELL THE QUEEN, AND THEN SHE'S GONNA TELL ALL HER MAN-WHORES AND SOON ALL OF ENGLAND SHALL KNOW!

Alucard: I have a slight feeling they'll forget.

Council Member 1: I just gleeked a little.

Council Member 2: My condolences.

I'm funny! I'm cu-ute!

A/N2: I thought of that when I was typing, and had to pause to giggle like a schoolgirl. When are ya gonna finish that? WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO PENNY AND INY?1?!/!/11?!1?

* * *

Alucard leaned against the wall on the other side of which Pura lay, drug-addled and in pain. He heard her heart race, her breathing stopping then getting faster in panic. How she realized he was there, he didn't know. But the scent of her fear at the mere feeling of his presence made him sigh sadly.

Integra walked up to the door and he bowed as she gave him a confused look.

"What are you doing here, Alucard? The poor girl's just woken up after, how long has it been, three weeks?"

"Two weeks, five days." He replied with a smirk.

"Alucard, she can't handle stress in such a condition. I forbid you from causing any more problems for her."

"Is that an order?" He said, leaning over Integra in an intimidating manor, eyes narrowing.

"Yes it is, vampire." She responded, not unsettled by Alucard's effort.

He bowed, his long hair falling in front of his face, but Integra could see his eyes glowing through the black. "As you wish, Master."

Integra turned sharply away from him, and when she left the room, Alucard had disappeared.

Hours later, after every living thing in the mansion had gone to bed, Alucard, wandered the halls and once again found himself passing the room where Pura was. And, once again, he heard motion inside. After making sure she was indeed asleep, he walked in to investigate.

The girl was shivering violently. Why, in this underground, stone-walled room which was at the most fifty degrees, someone had left her with only a thin sheet he couldn't guess. He began to take off his coat to lay it over her. He stopped, realizing the terror she would feel if she woke up to discover his coat on her. He sighed inaudibly, pulling his coat back on.

He left and returned shortly with a thick wool blanket, wrapping it around her trembling frame. Soon she stopped shaking, and he smiled.

He gently ran his gloved finger down the side of her face, being careful not to wake her up. He could protect her from a distance, if she needed it. That was good enough for now.

After a few minutes, he got up.

"Good night." He whispered to the unresponsive form of the girl as he melted out of the room and into the darkness of the endless halls.

* * *

A/N: I…uh…I don't have that much to say…

Marie, do you like your digital message recorder?

I'm getting you a Buxton organizer for your birthday. I'm thinking one in red. You can put the message recorder _in_ the Buxton organizer! Isn't that just the shizz-nit?!1/1?.?!one?!2?!31?!/!?2!?1?!

THEY TOUCHED MY EYES! AGGGHHHH JESUS THEY TOUCHED MY EYES!

My eye doctor's visit sucked more ass than you can comprehend. I don't give a fuck how thick my corneas are, let me leave.

B/N: Jen, I'm going to get you a black one.

A/N: What would I do without you, O generous one?


	24. Crane

A/N: I had to fuckin…this goddamn file fuckin deleted itself when I tried to send it to Marie….this is such bullshit I cant even type right now. Seriously this is fucking horrible. I have to redo this entire chapter, after it took three days to write it in the first place.

And our school is making us wear uniforms next year…I am so freaking pissed off at everything, and I'm sorry if the chapter isn't as good as it could have been.

Next day: alright I feel a bit better. I got my hair did. We rented 'tooth and nail' from horrorfest '07…

BULL PIES MARIE!

B/N: We're watching it now, Jen, Avery, and I.

Avery is our friend, she's alright.

* * *

Once it was certain that she was going to live, people were sent to get her things from her apartment. Large, unneeded items (stove, kitchen chairs, etc.) were sold and the money was given back to her, while her personal belongings were taken to the room designated to be hers. Her fish, curiously, was still alive. Though he would tell no one, Alucard snuck out every night to feed it. He felt certain, (and was correct) that if she ever got around to asking, she would hate him more for letting her little fishy die.

A few days later, she was able to walk again, and, upon regaining this ability, avoided everyone. When it was needed that she be near people, she avoided eye contact and glanced nervously around the room. It reminded Alucard of an abused animal, which, he realized, is what she had become. She had, like some young, inexperienced creature, gone about trusting everyone; and those she considered friends and betrayed her, and the one she had trusted the most had very nearly killed her.

Alucard noticed other changes that came over her, as he checked on her frequently and asked Walter how she was doing. He, it turned out, barely knew.

She refused food prepared by Walter, gasped in pain when doing her laundry, and other things the butler would gladly do, had he not shattered any trust she had in him.

She often disappeared from human notice for hours on end. Alucard found her hiding spot; a little forgotten room in the basement, and he discovered she would go there and either listen to music or read. He didn't follow her there; she went there to feel safe, and he no longer could be thought of as safe to her.

Yes, Alucard though, such a reaction was not at all unusual.

Still, he missed things about her. He missed having her around, scared of him but unable to stay away. He missed guessing whether it was fear or emotion that made her heart race every time he touched her. He missed catching her stealing glances at his face, smirking as she looked quickly at the ground upon his notice.

She was, however, still stubborn and uncooperative, though a bit less obvious than before. She ignored doctor's orders to keep her bandages dry and often went unprotected out into the rain and showered without care. She would dry them off somewhat, enough to keep any infection away, but she didn't pay much attention unless her injuries were causing her pain. And they often were.

She was rebellious in another way, but it was born more out of fear than choice. She barely slept at all. One could tell from the dark crescents under her eyes and the way she would often curl up on a nearby sofa and nearly fall asleep there, before being snapped back to reality by some loud, sharp noise.

A month later, the bandages on her wings were removed, but the ones on her back and neck stayed. The wound on her back was healing slowly and her neck…well, it wasn't healing at all. They tried all kinds of cures to close to wounds on her neck, but they all failed. The only thing that was hopeful about it was that there was no infection.

It was just before dawn, and the sun was still under the horizon, illuminating the fog that hung over all of London to a damp-looking gray color. Alucard walked silently and sleepily from the roof to his coffin. He paused; something caught his eye further down the hallway.

A tiny bright speck of crumpled paper lay at the other end of the hall. He walked towards it, to find it wasn't crumpled, but folded expertly. A tiny paper crane, no bigger than a postage stamp, lay on the side of the floor. He picked up the tiny thing. So that was what Pura had been doing in her free time. She had learned to make little teeny cranes.

He stared at the bright green crane that was now captured between his fingertips; it was such a fragile little thing. Fragile things and he didn't usually mix well, and he knew this. Still, he couldn't just drop it back to the floor; Walter would sweep or vacuum it into nothingness. He put the paper bird into his pocket, hoping the thick fabric of his coat wouldn't bend its wings.

He continued to walk to the basement, thinking of a safe place to put the crane. Something else caught his attention as he passed one of the many large windows that looked out into the yard.

Pura lay sprawled on the dew-covered grass, nearly hidden by the thick gray fog. Her eyes were closed, but Alucard knew she wasn't sleeping, though she was far from tense. He watched her from the fourth-story window, knowing she wouldn't be able to see him. His vampiric eyes picked up things humans wouldn't be able to see from such a distance, or even if they were sitting right next to her. Her dark hair, contrasting and tangling in the pale green grass, and the tiny droplets of water that suck to each strand.

His eyes were drawn to the gentle pulsing of her throat; he could see it even through the bandages. He noticed it, just as he was still maddened by the scent of her blood that continued to drip from her neck. It couldn't be changed, he supposed; he was perfectly designed to hunt and kill her.

Motion in the underbrush that framed the Hellsing grounds pulled him out of his thoughts. A rabbit, chubby and dusty brown hopped out of the shrubberies. Pura's eyes opened slowly to watch it. He heard her breathing slow in an effort to not scare the rabbit away. It hopped towards her outstretched hand and sniffed at it.

For the first time in months, he saw Pura smile again.

And without noticing it, Alucard smiled too.

* * *

A/N: I actually can make those teeny paper cranes. I make 'em out of starburst wrappers. I don't know if Pura used starburst wrappers, but it's probable. Perhaps there's some meaning in the crane scene, I am inclined to think there is, but since it was an errant thought to put it in there, I can't say for sure. (Yes there is, and I know that.)

…….i wanna go watch tooth and nail, but- AVREY JUST GOT HERE! LET'S WATCH THIS EFFIN' MOVIE! SHE BROUGHT STARBURST! JEN GETS TO MAKE PAPER CRANES! YEEEEESSS!

B/N: I ate the starburst, and made sure they weren't ripped so Jen could make her paper cranes. She made one for me today in Quizbowl. His name is Herman.


	25. Rain

A/N: Ooooh! Tooth and nail was great! Go effing watch it! I CALLED IT! well Marie did too but we don't care bout that skank.

And, if you're in the mood for a laugh, I suggest the…um…'horror' movie: Piñata; Survival Island.

Funniest thing I've seen. And yes, there is a piñata that kills people. Let me repeat that: a piñata that kills people… HOW DO YOU EVEN COME UP WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!

Things like that make me wish Mystery Science Theater 3000 was still on…did anyone else watch that show? Cause I loved it…

Oh yeah- those starburst spoken about in the last chappie; I unwrapped one with my tongue. I did. Marie and Avery saw it. Just thought you all would like to know that.

How was my day this lovely April 28th? Well, how else can I describe it, other than- TOGA-RIFFIC!

Yeah I had to wear a toga today for extra credit. But it's ok because I got a black sheet. And I put these little silver flowers on it. But it's not ok because I had to walk a block and a half in a toga in the freezing rain. I only wore a cami and a skirt underneath, so I'm quite cold and damp right now…

But…I still got to wear a toga.

AND THE BIOLOGY FUNTIME DISSECTIONS CONTINUE!

It was a perch…and it sucked.

MAY SECOND WAS/IS MY BIRTHDAY! I planned to have this out before then, but…it's been slow writing. The good news is: I get to miss school, I'm taking Marie with me to the aquarium, and I'm getting a new laptop!

I HAS A LAPTOP!

* * *

I wish I could calm down, I really do; I hate stress headaches. And recently there have been lots of them clawing at my mind. Little bastards.

If I slept, I probably wouldn't have so many headaches. But I don't know when I can sleep. If I sleep at night, then _he_ will be walking around, and I'll be lying unconscious somewhere. If I sleep during the day, I'll be wandering around at night and I might run into him. Neither of those scenarios is something I'd like to have happen, so I barely sleep.

To stay awake, I'd either waste time on the internet or make these little cranes. I put them in a box, and one day I plan to go out into London, get on the top floor of a building, and throw them all out over the street. Either that or hide them around the mansion. That is, if I wasn't afraid I'd be punished for something like that…

That's the fear that kept me away from everyone. If I did something wrong, they probably wouldn't hesitate to kill me. I wasn't that valuable to the organization; hell, I was costing them money if anything. So I kept away from everyone, especially avoiding those who had tried to directly kill me.

On a side note: I hid my wings when they took the bandages off; I kept knocking stuff over. They still worked, I could move them normally; I didn't try to move them too much though, for it sent hideous waves of pain up my back. My back, by the way, still hurt even without moving my wings. I could feel the new stitches pulling at my skin if I stretched. My neck, on the other hand, wouldn't even heal. If anything touched it, my vision would go black in agony for an instant. But it felt like a pretty long damn instant.

On a second side note: I had regained the ability to speak, but only in a hoarse, painful tone. I didn't tell anyone, but I plan to when I can talk without cringing.

Normally, with a proper supply of caffeine, I wouldn't be this tired. Or rather, I didn't expect to be this utterly exhausted after only three days awake. I didn't think it would be so hard to fall asleep. Now, I didn't often get a full eight hours of sleep, in fact, it only happened twice this month. But I had been doing fine on three hour naps. Lately, however, I could feel him getting closer to me more often, especially just before I fall asleep.

I was lying on a sofa somewhere at about 4:30 in the morning, exhausted but too scared to sleep, when it started to rain. I decided to go lay out on the roof; maybe the rain would put me to sleep, it usually did.

I hopped off the couch (well, more like 'tried to get up and fell' off the couch) and began making my way to the roof. I've learned that if you go up enough stairs in this place, eventually you will reach the roof. It's a good thing that I was on a higher floor too, because even those few flights made me want to pass out.

I opened the door at the top of the steps to find that it was pretty dark and the rain was just picking up from a drizzle. Perfect conditions for sleeping in my opinion.

I stepped into the rain and walked to the edge of the roof. I looked over the ledge at the soggy ground far below. I walked back to the middle of the roof and lied down on my back, closing my eyes against the rain.

I turned onto my side since the rain was getting in my nose, a truly uncomfortable feeling. I shivered as the cold water hit me, but I ignored it as I started to drift off to a much-needed sleep.

I started dreaming. Someone was calling my name. I couldn't place who it was at first, maybe not wanting to remember who it was. The voice got louder, and I couldn't deny it any longer. It was _him._

This dream was unusual; normally I could see him in my dreams. And now he was asking weird questions. He was asking me if I was alright, which was weird. These dreams have been, until now, reoccurring, with just little tweaks to them.

Then something changed, not in the dream, but outside. I couldn't tell what it was immediately, then I realized I had stopped feeling the rain. It was strange, I had been trying to block out the feeling for a while. It was like the way one blocks out noise, wanting silence, then looks up in worry only when all sound stops.

I opened my eyes and frowned, not seeing anything. I rolled onto my back and gasped.

He was kneeling over me, a black shadow looming over both of us, blocking out the rain and seeming ready to swallow me whole. I cursed the temperature, which was cold enough to make me fail to notice his presence.

I trembled as I looked up at him, too scared to move.

He seemed to relax his previously tense position as he looked down at me. "Oh, good. I thought you were hurt."

Wait, what? Why would he not want me hurt?

He sighed. "Though if you keep getting your bandages wet you're _going_ to hurt yourself…"

He was worried about me? I sat up, and as soon as I did, sleep deprivation kicked in with some dizziness. He caught me, and quickly but gently lowered me back to the ground.

He looked down at me, smiling slightly but his eyes were sad. What was wrong with him? Was this some sick joke? I backed away a little more.

"I won't hurt you…I promise." He put his hand out "Just…come back inside. If you get those bandages wet you'll get an infection."

I was afraid to trust him. I was afraid _of_ him. I stared at his hand, my exhaustion telling me to take it, but my memory telling me to run.

"Alucard…?"

He was startled; evidently he didn't expect me to be able to talk. "Yes?"

"Am…Am I making the same mistake twice?"

He closed his eyes for a few seconds. "No." he whispered after he opened them again.

I couldn't take hiding anymore. I took a breath and reached my hand out; unable to keep it from trembling. He took it gently and helped me up. When I got to my feet I nearly fell back down as the damn world decided to spin again.

He caught me, looking worried "Pura, how long has it been since you last slept?"

I tried to remember "Three days maybe…"

He murmured something that sounded like '_Ridiculous…' _He moved towards me and paused. "Would you mind if I carried you?"

I shook my head; I was about to pass out on the roof, I don't want to clamber down eight more flights of stairs.

He smoothly picked me up and held me against him. I shivered in his grip; fear that it would suddenly tighten and crush me once more. But instead, he loosened his arms, noticing my trembling.

He carried me without speaking down the dim halls, and I began to calm down. Maybe he really didn't want to hurt me anymore. He didn't strike me as one to pretend to be sorry; he wouldn't skip a chance to terrify.

Alucard walked into my room and set me down on my bed, moving the blanket back first. He looked down at me with a sad expression. It seemed so out of place on his features; I had never really seen him without some sort of smirk on his face for more than three minutes.

He began to walk out, and some impulse made me reach out and take hold of his coat. A very confused Alucard turned around.

"Er-yes, Pura?"

"Will…will you stay with me…?" I don't know why I wanted him here. Well, I had an idea, but I didn't much like it. I wanted to know if I would wake up tomorrow if he stayed with me.

"Yes…alright."

I moved over and he sat down on the bed next to me. He lied down over the blankets, pinning them down quite well, and I scooched closer to him. Alucard hesitantly put his arm around me; gauging my reaction. I snuggled against his chest, feeling something familiar.

I felt him inhale, and froze in fear as I remembered he could still smell my blood. It kinda seems like an obvious thing to overlook…

He lifted his head to look at me. "Oh." He ran his fingers through my hair, and I shivered. "Don't worry. I _can_ fight the scent of your blood, you know."

I absently pawed at the loop in his tie. I expected him to stop me, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw him fight back a smile in the near-darkness, the only light source coming from the candlelit hallway.

Then, as if on cue, the candles were either blown out or burnt out, and I was rendered blind. I seemed to have forgotten the reason for my fear of such darkness, because I jumped slightly at the sudden removal of light and hugged Alucard in fear. I realized what I had done quickly, and let go of him, falling back a little. He merely leaned forward and kept me close to him.

This didn't scare me as much as it probably should have. Though it did still make me uneasy.

Alucard either didn't notice or ignored my nervousness and didn't move. He lied holding me, motionless and without saying a word. He was still for so long I thought he might've fallen asleep.

It was then I realized that I had never seen him sleeping, yet he saw me sleeping all the time. Unfair.

I tried to move as little as possible as I looked up at his face after my eyes had adjusted a little to the dark. Evidently, he had fallen asleep. Lying there, his eyes closed and the hair I knew to be unimaginably soft and silky falling over half of his face. He looked…deceptively adorable.

An urge I thought to be long dead resurfaced. I once more, after what seemed like an eternity of hellish terror, wanted to lean up and press my lips to his.

I looked away, bit my bottom lip, and dug my nails into the palms of my hands; trying to suppress the longing to kiss Alucard. It was unhealthy. And by 'unhealthy' I mean 'likely to get me killed this time'.

I glanced back up at him to find that he hadn't been asleep, and was looking curiously at me; his eyes glowing rubies in the shadows.

My heart raced, in fear, but also from the stunning beauty his eyes had always hit me with. But I think a lot of it was in fear.

"You're still awake? You really should sleep, Pura. You're going to make yourself sick." He _did_ sound sleepy…

I tore my eyes away from his mesmerizing stare and looked at his tie again. I didn't want him to hypnotize me…

He was quiet for almost a minute before he spoke again.

"Are you afraid?"

I knew the answer he wanted, but I also knew he didn't want a lie.

"Yes." I whispered.

I felt him sigh. I don't think it was an annoyed sigh, though.

I expected him to go quiet and wait again. So I was surprised when he began to sing.

His mouth was right at my ear, and he softly murmured the song to me. It was a different one then before, but still in a strange language. His beautiful, low voice seemed almost tangible, wrapping gently around me as his arms did and crumbled the fear I felt into nothingness.

I wondered what language the song was, and I nearly asked him, but I stopped before I made a sound. I didn't want to interrupt him.

He stopped anyway. "Yes?"

"What?" I asked, looking up at his smirk and caught off guard.

"You wanted to ask me a question." Well damn, if he knew that much, why didn't he just answer it?

"Oh, right. Um…what language is it?" Well, that question sounded stupid. Could've worded it better…

He chuckled once "Romanian."

I nuzzled into his cold chest, noting how comforting he smelled. "Romanian…" I repeated. "It's beautiful…"

"I think so too." I could tell by his tone of voice that he was genuinely smiling.

He picked the song back up, and I felt my consciousness slipping away along with whatever was left of the fear that I wouldn't wake up tomorrow. I knew it was ridiculous not to be afraid of him after what he's done to me, but right now I was completely at ease. In fact I once again wanted to be around him. I was making another mistake, I was sure. As I drifted to sleep, his baritone voice echoing in my mind, I was in love with him again.

* * *

Beta Note: I woke up the following morning, and looked around. My apartment swam into view, and I rubbed my eyes. I shot up and shook my hair out of my face, "Where did Alucard go?"

I rubbed my neck, nothing. I flung my arm over my shoulder and smacked at my back. Nothing.

The phone rang and I answered it, "Hello?"

"Pura, where the hell are you?"

"What the hell do you mean _where the hell are you?_ I don't work at Target anymore."

"What planet do you live on? You worked here as of yesterday."

I dropped the phone; _it had all been a dream_.

* * *

A/N: Look! Look right there!

See the words 'beta note'?

Actually, it had just been 'B/N' but i had to change it because all the people missing it was making me sick. Now I'm writing this in. Next person missing the obvious joke gets slapped. If I honestly have to spell out the joke, I will lose faith in all of you...except the few who have caught it, of course. You guys are still awesome.

People missing it so far: 9

People missing it after 'Beta Note' was written out: 4

People missing it after this explaination: 4


	26. Musical Interlude III

A/N: awwww people… you guys disappoint me. IT WAS A BETA NOTE!

God I can't believe how many of you missed that!

You think I would really end it like that? When Pura's just feeling better about bein' around Alucard?

A fine way to introduce my new laptop…I'ma go load Age of Mythology…

Anyways…

Tell me, what is the future made of? That's right; virtual insanity.

Ya wanna know what I just did? In the course of three hours? 3 zoology reports, 6 zoology comments, one English project outline, memorized a six stanza German poem, and made 25 sentences for vocab words that NO ONE WILL EVER USE EXCEPT MAYBE MARIE BUT SHE'S A WHORE.

And tomorrow between classes I have to write a concrete poem for German (what in the hell is with this man and poems?)- 3rd period, two grammar lessons for English- 1st period, and 17 math problems- 7th period.

Damn…I am screwed.

Oh. My. Dear. God. TWIIIIILIGHT MOOOOOOOVIIIIIEEE TRAAAAAIIIILEEEER! (hyperventilates)

That was my fangirl side talking…er…screaming in ecstasy.

What's that? IT'S A MUSICAL INTERLUDE!

* * *

I fell asleep shortly after Pura did; amazed that she could sleep at all. Though in all fairness, the very few women who I've ever sung to sleep never stood a chance at staying awake.

Hours later but still too early, I woke up. I had shifted onto my back and Pura had moved up to curl her arms loosely around my neck, her head on my shoulder. The blanket was half off of her and twisted around her midsection.

But more noticeably, the scent of her blood was maddening. A little splotch of blood had seeped through the bandage around her neck and stained my suit. I could almost taste her. I could kill her here; she was so out of it she probably wouldn't feel anything if I was quick about it. And Integra would be angry at first, but she'd get over it in no time. Yes, it would be simple to devour this girl, even if she is now a member of Hellsing.

Just as I was deciding whether to tear her to pieces, she made a quiet, sleepy noise and moved to nuzzle further against me. It was as if she knew, even in her sleep, when to act overly helpless and push my protective button. I sighed and put my arm around her. It was absurd that I should feel protective of this creature. This pathetic little thing that has mainly brought trouble for me.

I traced along the bandaged gash on her back. The muscles twitched under her skin and she cried out slightly in her sleep. I moved my hand off the wound and she quieted down, nestling back to her previous position. I didn't mind at all. I had almost forgotten how very warm she was, and it felt nice to have her lying against me. I could feel her pulse thrumming lightly under my fingertips.

I yawned and was about to go back to sleep when Pura started shivering. Goosebumps rose on her bare arms; I've always found this such an odd human reaction. I suppose to a human, the temperature would be fairly cold down here, and lacking a blanket while lying against me wouldn't help much.

I could have just pulled the blankets back onto her, but she would still be cold where she was lying on me. So I picked her up, careful not to disturb her, letting her continue to lean her head on my shoulder. She murmured sleepily and cuddled against me, sniffing at my hair. I smirked; how odd that she should like my scent too, although for a completely different reason that I liked hers.

I carried her into a room with a fireplace in it, and promptly lit it upon opening the doors. I slid a comfortable chair in front of the fire with a wave of my hand, and sat down on it, balancing Pura on my lap. She detached her arms from around my neck, moving them to splay one hand out on my chest and taking loose hold of my cravat with the other.

I looked down at her; she had recovered well. In the light I could see that the color had returned from her skin; but that was to be expected, for the last time I had seen her in the light, she was chalk-white with the blood loss that should have killed her.

The blood loss that I inflicted…

I realized that this, the sudden return of affection for me, had been brought on only by complete exhaustion, and when she woke up, she would resume being terrified of me. I sighed, resting my head on top of hers.

I wouldn't let anyone else lay a hand on her, though. A few weeks ago the doctors had been speaking amongst themselves about…experimenting on her. Their reasoning was that all non-human creatures should be subjected to that. They had even gotten out the 'notes' archived away from the torture those bastards put me through. I wouldn't let it happen. What they planned to do would kill her. Why they didn't realize this, I didn't know. Vivisecting a sixteen year old girl without anesthesia; she obviously wouldn't make it past that.

Of course, the doctor who was going to lead all of this has unfortunately gone irreversibly insane under 'mysterious circumstances'…

I didn't know why her neck wouldn't heal; nothing I've ever bitten has remained alive before. Yet here this girl was, heart still beating. And as much as it mystified me, I would make sure it continued beating, and if I couldn't, then I would ultimately be the one to stop it.

From the combined warmth of the fire and the of the girl's body I yawned again. Pura murmured contentedly and cuddled into my chest. It seemed that subconsciously she had returned to her old self. It would take longer than one night to get her to consciously get close to that, though.

She got comfortable and fell into a deeper sleep, her heartbeat and breathing slowing down. I growled against another urge to sink my fangs into her bandaged throat. She was so vulnerable…such perfect prey.

I forced the thoughts out of my head. I could resist this girl. I would prove to her that I wasn't a senseless animal.

I stood, knowing that I wouldn't wake her from her near-comatose state without throwing of either some sort of object or the girl herself. I walked back to her room and placed her gently on her bed, pulling the blankets on her motionless form. I lied down next to her; I doubted I would get another chance to be near her if she regained any ounce of sanity when she woke up.

A minute or so after I lied down, she turned over and snuggled back against me. It was odd that mere sleep would rob from her every instinct she should have against me.

I fought back another yawn. It was almost noon; and feeling drowsy all night was something that annoyed me.

"Good night, little one." I murmured to the unresponsive creature curled up next to me.

I closed my eyes and listened to the steady and quiet beating of her heart. And that sound was a surprisingly good sleep inducer.

* * *

A/N: I know, it took way too long for this. Or so it seemed. What with Marie not shutting the hell up once in a frickin' while. But dammit I was having such trouble with Alucard's character, and even with all of the time I took with this, I'm still feeling leery about it.

Since its 2 am, I'm going to bed. I declare this author note over unless I wake up tomorrow and feel the need to tell you about something.

Well I've woken up and three hours later I need to tell about stuff: baby crows are freakin' adorable. So are baby flying squirrels. I want to take them home.

I'm sorry this chapter is short.

B/N: You take a chicken breast, and a jar of mayonnaise, and you put the chicken in it and leave it out in the sun for a while. I call it, CHICKEN MAYONNAISE!


	27. Frogs

A/N: goddamit why do I do this? Why do I always watch movie clips on youtube that scare me?

I watched this serious mind-fucker of a clip. I won't even tell you what it was it's that bad.

But now I'm too freaked out to sleep, and there's only one thing that can undo the damage.

Hellsing.

Lots and lots of Hellsing.

Little box of Hellsing, I love you so! Little box of Hellsing! Little box of Hellsing!

Damn right. I keep all Hellsing dvds and books in an open cardboard box that stays for the most part in my room. Now my Hellsing paraphernalia (little statues that came with dvds, lighters, little statues I bought on ebay because I obsess) I put on my bookshelf. All except the Anderson statue that came with the third dvd. That stays in a box where I can't see it. Because I don't want to look at Anderson, ever.

Oh, and that is the official box of Hellsing song I've decided.

Oh laptop, please play dvds.

Hmm I haven't watched the second one in a while.

How are the Valentines brothers? One of them is the color of bleached snowflakes and the other is nearly black. Anyone else notice this?

Yes! Bondage suit!

In the hellhound-mauly scene, if you listen carefully you can hear Alucard growling under the hellhound growling. Its Alucard going 'rawr! Raaawr rawr! Rawr!'. It makes me giggle. Or to use a more amusing word; titter.

On to the third one!

Pip…is there anyone who doesn't love Pip? Pip is awesome.

And Anderson is seriously bi-polar…

Is it bad that this makes me feel better after mental trauma?

Alright now where's the fourth dvd? Oh right…THERE IS NO EFFING FOURTH DVD! That makes me sad…

Alright, let's break from the Hellsing and concentrate on…HELLSING!

* * *

When I woke up, I felt like I had been hit with a truck. I had no idea how long I had been sleeping, but if my aching body was any indication, quite some time. I stretched in an attempt to get the stiffness out of my limbs, and my back cracked in a satisfying way.

I sat up and rubbed my eye, getting that freakish sand out. Then I froze upon remembering last night. I had fallen asleep right next to him! Damn it!

I looked around nervously (someone had lit the candles in my room…was there a way that we could move out of the dark ages with the lighting please? I brought in a light, but apparently whoever lit the damn candles didn't like it). Alucard was nowhere to be found; a situation that was good and bad.

Good because he wasn't in the room and ready to tear me into little Pura-flakes, and bad because he could be anywhere else and ready to tear me into little Pura-flakes.

I nervously got out of bed and walked to the shower (which was in a room attached only to my own; that was great because I didn't really fancy the idea of wandering through the hallways clad only in a towel.). I peeked behind the curtain, unsure of why I thought Alucard would resort to hiding behind a shower curtain. And he wasn't.

I sighed at my own stupidity and decided to get a shower. I locked the door, though I knew that a locked door wouldn't really keep him out. I undressed, surprised at first to find I was in my pajamas, not recalling putting them on. I then remembered that I had changed before going outside, happy that I had not been seen for, what, a twelfth time, in my underwear by Alucard. I stepped under the hot water and was alone with my thoughts.

He hadn't hurt me. And he had probably stayed with me all night, err, day. Alucard had actually let me live? He wanted me around? That fact made my heart race in a good way, and I don't know why. I should be terrified of him; he tried to freaking eat me. And the proof was carved into my still bloody neck.

I peeked out the bathroom door to find my room was empty. I tiptoed out and got dressed, gingerly patting the bandages dry.

I sat back on my bed, looking up at the ceiling. What do I do now? Should I go try and find him? Avoid him? Wait here for him? Dammit, this was awkward. It was like the day after a first date only more life-threatening.

I noticed that I had absolutely no idea what time it was. I pawed at the bedside table, looking for my iPod. Not finding it, I looked up at the clock placed my wall, the second hand deliberately broken because I can't stand the constant ticking.

What the hell did that say? 5:43? At night?! Damn, I had been asleep for twelve hours! The longest I've slept in like three months! Wooo! Although, I thought I had been asleep for longer; I wonder if I should make up the hours of sleep I missed. But that may just be a stupid plan, and one that I should ignore completely. And I did.

The time explained where Alucard was; he would have already gotten up by now.

I wonder if he had told anyone I had fallen asleep next to him…I hope not. I'm not really up to dealing with everyone else; I don't think I'm even up to dealing with him.

I snuck out of my room, deciding to find some cereal. I also decided to avoid everyone; I'm just not suited to interact with others so soon after waking up.

I got out some rice krispies and instinctively listened to their mindless chatter once milk was added. They're plotting something, I just know it. And when it happens, I'll be the one who's prepared.

After either a very late or very early breakfast, I was completely unsure of what to do now. So by default I went up to the roof to ponder things. Things like what kind of word 'ponder' is.

Stepping into the not-quite-warm early spring air, I noticed that the sun was just below the horizon, lighting the sky fiery purple and orange. The crickets shrieked to each other, and their shrill songs calmed my nerves and cleared my head.

As I lied on the stone floor of the tower-ish structure, I regretted not bringing a pillow. I knew rebel pebbles would find ways to tangle themselves in my hair, and they were annoying to comb out.

My mind struggled to make my feelings match my situation. On one hand, Alucard was a literally bloodthirsty monster who came within a fraction of a second to eating me, and wouldn't have had a second thought or an ounce of regret about it. On the other hand, he had protected me for weeks before that, seemingly cared about my wellbeing, had complied with my unspoken wishes to avoid him, and now had even sung me to sleep.

Now my thoughts about him clashed, giving me yet another stress headache. I groaned and tried to concentrate on the crickets, who had now been joined by spring peeper frogs.

After a few soothing minutes of the _kreee kreee _sound of crickets and the _yeeep yeeep _of the frogs, I let my thoughts tear each other up again.

He was a monster. He was a guardian. A demon. A protector. Fiend. Friend.

I didn't know what he was. It was easier to imagine two different Alucards, the one who cared about me, and the one who tried to kill me. But there weren't two of him; both of those sides were the same being. True, he had been following orders, and though I didn't quite understand the bonds between him and Integra's heritage, I knew he couldn't disobey her. Still, she hadn't commanded him to torture me…to enjoy it…

Nor had she commanded him to protect me. What he did before and what he seemed to be doing now was of his own choice. But…where would that choice lead? Another trap for me to stumble into? Or closer to my irrational yet undeniable desire to kiss him?

Well, I was an idiot for still wanting him; that was certain. But I was still afraid, so there may be hope for me yet.

It started to get cold as the sun sank lower into the ground. I got up and made my way back inside to get a coat and maybe a pillow to keep the side of my head from getting rubbed raw on the stone. Hell, I should move my whole damn room up here.

I got to my room without running into anyone. I fed my curiously still living fish while I was thinking of it, and pulled on a jacket.

I decided to screw around on the internet for about an hour, wanting to stay inside and get the chills out of my bones. I messaged Jackie a bit, not _exactly _telling her where I was, but letting her know that I was ok, still in the general area, but not allowed to come see her yet. She responded with a virtual eye roll and a 'what in the hell did you get yourself into, you jackass?' I promptly replied with a 'stuff it'. We bickered good-naturedly back and forth for a bit until she had to leave.

I bored quickly without someone to quarrel at, so I got up and began walking back up to the roof. From fear I had learned to walk completely silently, and I wore the fuzziest socks I had to muffle the sound. These socks are also great for sliding across the constantly waxed and slippery floor that was almost everywhere in this mansion.

The sliding around distracted me for another 45 minutes, until I inevitably crashed into a wall, which sent a wave of agony through my neck. I vowed to stop sliding around for the fortieth time.

I reached the door to the roof and upon opening it I found that it had become much darker.

I was about to walk out when I noticed someone else was here. Sitting on the far edge of the roof, looking out over the edge, was Alucard.

He hadn't turned around when I opened the door, but surely he must have heard me. I stood, adrenaline making my blood cold, debating what to do. I could turn and leave, I could go to the other side of the roof, or I could do the unthinkable, and go over and sit right next to him.

The last option was oddly inviting. I longed to feel that strangely comforting coldness of his arm around me. To hear his low, silky voice purring in my ear. Lean against his rock-solid but somehow comfortable side.

Alright. There is seriously something wrong with me. I need some kind of psychiatric help, because I want to be with the creature who quite obviously wants to eat me.

I'll get a mental evaluation later. I apprehensively walked over to Alucard, and sat cross-legged a few feet to the side of him. I glanced nervously at him to find he was watching me, questioning but nothing close to annoyed.

"Good evening, Pura" he said, a smirk in his voice. Though not really a mocking smirk-voice.

"Hey." I replied, my teenage qualities making me much less formal.

He looked up at the moon, a huge red orb floating in the sky. "It's quite a nice night, bit cold for you, I see, but a nice evening nonetheless."

I looked toward the sky too. The moon was a bit eerie, but the strange color held a certain beauty. And the slightly damp yet flowery smell of the spring nighttime was relaxing.

I noticed the frogs had quieted down.

"I wonder where the frogs went…" I mumbled absentmindedly.

"You like them?" He asked, curious.

"Hm? Yeah…it's a pretty sound… I've never seen one of the frogs though, they must be tiny I guess…" I was thinking out loud, really.

He got up slowly, carefully. He walked towards me and I watched him, fighting the urge to bolt for the door. Alucard kneeled next to me and held out his closed hand. I looked at it as he opened it slowly. In his gloved palm was a tiny black frog, looking even tinier compared to the size of his hand, the skin on its lower jaw bouncing as it breathed; I leaned towards it, my eyes wide with interest. The skin under its mouth, previously bouncing, suddenly bubbled out, turning almost transparent as it emitted a squeaking '_yeeep_'.

I laughed and looked up at him. He was staring at me, apparently confident the frog wouldn't hop away, a grin on his face. The muscles in my stomach tightened as the moonlight glinted off his fangs, though I knew he meant well.

I shook the fear off as best as I could "How did you get it?" I have never seen one of those little frogs, let alone catch one. And he hadn't even _moved_.

"Well now that's a secret." He purred, and closed his hand. He opened it again and the frog was gone. He chuckled "I'm scaring you, aren't I?"

"…a little…" actually quite a bit. But I wasn't about to say that. And I'm not sure why I wasn't about to say that.

"It's difficult. I never know what will frighten you; avoiding those evidently terrifying things is nearly impossible."

Bastard was calling me a sissy, wasn't he? I glared at him and he smirked. "I've always loved that defiant look in your eyes when you get offended."

I didn't like the way he said that. It was that low voice that sounded like he was about to attack or something. I leaned away nervously.

"Oh, you really don't have to scooch away. Haven't I told you my dear? I won't hurt you."

I scoffed. He made a questioning 'hmm?' noise.

"Well that's a stupid thing to say." I growled, suddenly mad. How could he even say that? How could he expect me to trust him just like that?

"Why's that?" He murmured back, not angered by my insult. But then I knew it would take more than the half-assed insults of a teenage girl to make him mad.

"How do you expect me to freaking believe you?! Damn it Alucard you tried to fucking _eat me_!" I was nearly shouting, and I moved my face closer to his to more effectively glare, trying not to let the angry tone of my voice be marred by fear. I knew he could tell I was terrified, but I wasn't going to openly show it.

He raised his eyebrows. He obviously didn't expect me to stand against him. Hell, I don't think he even expected me to come out here in the first place.

I crossed my arms and turned away from him with an uncharacteristic 'hmph.' From behind me I heard him laugh.

"Ah, Pura. It's good to see you're back to normal."

"What the hell makes you think I'm back to normal?"

From behind me he brushed a lock of hair out of my eyes, where it had fallen when I whipped my head away from him.

"Mentally I mean. Your sudden anger that appears when you're otherwise frightened is back. As is your tendency to ignore authoritive orders. Demonstrated by the fact that you rarely listened to your boss if you could avoid it, and now it's your disregard of doctor's orders to not get your bandages wet."

"You-" Wait, I never told him I ignored my boss. He knew I didn't like working for him, but I've never told him about the little tasks that mysteriously didn't get done. I turned back to face him. "How do you know I ignored my boss?!"

The smirk lessened. "Well..." he sighed "I learned quite a bit about you from…drinking your blood."

Okay I was afraid again. "What?" I yelped, shrinking away from him.

"Yes. I gain a person's memories and knowledge when I consume them. I know everything about you from…approximately a year ago until the night you met me. An odd window of knowledge, but the fact that I even got that much without killing you is odd…you're an interesting creature, Pura."

His compliment (was it a compliment?) was lost to me. I had begun chewing on the end of my jacket's sleeve, an alternative to biting my nails. That was a pretty shitty word choice; 'consume'? That word just sent chills down my spine for whatever reason. Probably because he was talking about people. And me.

"And the way your anger dissipates as quickly as it shows itself…" He smiled, trying to reassure me.

I didn't acknowledge him and turned my eyes to the floor, still biting my sleeve.

He sighed again, his tone becoming somber. "I know, little one. I know it will take a while for you to even think about fixing this. And I can't say that I blame you." He put his hand on the side of my head, careful not to touch my neck. "I understand you're not going to believe me, but really, I won't harm you anymore."

I looked back up at him. When I locked eyes with him, his lips pulled into a half-smile. I noticed his eyes weren't even glowing, yet I again felt sleepy. I guess all the missed sleep was catching up with me again. He saw this, and his expression grew into a full grin.

"Tired, are you?"

"Eh, a bit." I yawned slightly.

Alucard chuckled and stood up. He put his hand out to me. "Well, come along then. Is there really a reason to make you exhausted?"

I reached for his hand and stopped, remembering the mental evaluation that I should plan. Last time I did this, I had good reason, that reason being incredible exhaustion.

I took his hand anyway, and he gently lifted me off the ground when I got to my feet. The tiredness that came from nowhere got the better of me, and I leaned against his chest, nuzzling into his soft coat.

I felt him laugh quietly again and closed my eyes, trying to concentrate on the comfort rather than the fear. He was trying to help, or so it seemed. I still wasn't ruling out a sick joke, but that theory was getting weaker.

In a few moments he reached my room, and set me down on the bed, pulling the blankets over me.

I debated whether to move over, not wanting to make it seem like I was forcing him to stay with me. But I then decided that a huge, blood-sucking monster wouldn't really be pressured by one such as myself. So I moved over, giving him room. He promptly slid into the bed, chuckling almost inaudibly once again.

I snuggled against him, and relaxed as he put his arm around me. Why should I feel reassured? It's not right, it's just not right.

I had almost fallen asleep, when I remembered something. "Oh, right. Alucard?" I mumbled sleepily.

"Yes?"

"Thanks. For showing me the little frog."

He laughed and this time I could hear him. "You're welcome little one. Good night."

"Night." I lost consciousness only a few minutes later, just after Alucard had started to hum that beautiful melody in his compelling and irresistible voice.

* * *

A/N: woooo! I gots me some new headphones! My old ones died a slow death, the kind where the wires only work in a certain position, and when you're trying to be sneaky and listen to music in school like I do, that's very inconvenient.

Hey! Guess what my most likely effed up mind has come up with?! (interrobang) well, it's with Pura, only she's actually human and it'll be more of a sorta oneshot maybe and like 50 years ago when Alucard an' Walter were putting the smackdown on some Nazi ass. I don't know if I really wanna type it, cause I have absolutely no way to tie it in with this here story, and I don't even know if it's that good to begin with…

Why don't you peeps just tell me if ya think I should type it anyway…and then you won't be disappointed with it because you brought it on yourselves!

Eh, also in this proposed scenario, it's Alucard, not Girlycard. Cause…that might get a tad awkward… (Awkward turtle motion)…just so you know what you may or may not be getting into…

Marie says I should just give a new name but…you people will know who she is…

Oh, and since there seems to be some confusion; this has nothing to do with the current story. It's just a 'what if I had set this like 50 years earlier?' kinda thing.

Next day: AW! That was an awesome party! That's the reason this chappie is a bit late, I've been getting ready for my birthday party all week. And I'm glad I did because it was great. Now I'm all sugar-crashed.

Err…LET'S HEAR IT FOR RIDICULOUSLY LONG AUTHOR'S NOOOOOOOOTES!

But don't complain, this is a comparably long chapter _and _you get a story pitch. How bout dem apples?! That phrase is hilarious…

B/N: Your party was so awesome. Like, beyond awesome. Like, necrophilia jokes/concussions/sprained toes/racecar beds/dead baby jokes/mass orgies/So pale he glows/Hey guys, it's Jimmie, wanna date?! interrobang, awesome.

Because that stuff totally didn't happen.

A/N2: I love how we all have the 'hey guys, it's Jimmie, wanna date?!' on our phones… I also love all of those other things beyond any mortal comprehension. We need to do that again.


	28. Dream

A/N: I know what you people are thinking. You're thinking 'hey Jen, ya know what we could use? Another dream scene!' well you're in luck, cause I got one RIGHT HERE!

Are you getting annoyed with these? Because I worry that you are. But then, I still uphold the whole 'fearing rejecting like the plague' thing waaaaaaay back from the start of this thing in chapter one.

Ewww. Learner's permit physical. I feel icky.

Really though, I normally have a female doctor, so it's okay. But this time, she wasn't there, so I had a guy doctor. And that's not okay at all.

* * *

I opened my eyes to my room, lying in my bed. I could tell it was nighttime, and Alucard wasn't here with me. For some reason that struck me as odd.

I got out of bed and walked down the hallway with full knowledge of where I was going: the library. I'm not sure why I was headed there, but I went anyway. Up until now I had been avoiding the place. I had some innate fear that if I went back in there, I would be mauled again. Due to all of the avoidance of the library, Walter was pretty easy to stay away from. The bastard. Wait…I was more comfortable around _Alucard_ and I was avoiding Walter...? How effing backwards was that? Oh well.

By this time, I had reached the library doors. I hesitated, my hand on the ornate brass handles. I heard nothing from inside, and I didn't like it. There was something in there, but I just couldn't hear it. I put my ear to the door, but still found silence.

I took my chances and opened the door. It was dark inside, just dark enough so that I could barely make anything out. I walked softly in, ready to hear any unexpected noise and bolt.

Something cracked into my chest. Hard. It sent me slamming against the far wall with sickening familiarity. And pain.

I lied on the floor, and a whimper squeaked in my throat. I looked up, finding something kneeling next to me, but all I could distinguish were those glinting, horrible, razor-sharp fangs that were moving slowly towards my neck. It grabbed my shoulders, and black shadowy ropes moved to bind me, though it was unnecessary, as I was already immobilized with pain and fear.

I felt its frozen breath on my neck, and braced against the imminent bite. Though nothing I could do would ever prepare me against it. I squeezed my eyes shut, and waited for it.

Then it all stopped. The cold breath had vanished from my neck, the pain had disappeared, and the ropes were gone. Though, someone still held me, in a decidedly more comfortable sitting position.

I opened my eyes with a start, and looked directly into a lit and roaring fireplace. I glanced about the room; this was definitely not the Hellsing estate. This place was more…medieval. The floor was stone covered by an intricately woven, dark red rug. There lighting consisted of the fireplace and a large and elegant, unlit chandelier. A large mirror was hung above the fireplace, and reflected the rest of the room. Bookshelves that reached the high ceiling made the walls. A stone gargoyle snarled on each side of the fireplace. Nope. I had never seen this place before.

I looked up at the person whose lap I was sitting on. Though that probably should have been the first thing I would look at.

And who else could it have been?

I stared up at Alucard, and he smirked back.

"I thought you deserved a dream rather than a nightmare." He purred.

What the hell? Was I really dreaming this? Or was Alucard dreaming this? Was I in his dream, or was he in my dream? Dammit I'm confused.

He chuckled. "You have questions." Well of course I had questions!

"Um…" I was still a little shaken by the whole 'I just nearly got my throat ripped out by you' dream thing goin' on.

He waited patiently as I collected my thoughts.

"Er…whose dream is this?" This seemed awfully logical for one of my calm dreams. Normally they involved giant newts or toasters coming alive.

"Hmm, Well I suppose it _is_ your dream. I've just…'rearranged' it."

"Define 'rearrange'."

"That a little difficult to explain to you."

"And what's that supposed to mean?!" I will _not _be insulted inside my own mind.

He laughed. "I mean, it's difficult to explain to one who can't read minds in the first place."

Oh I so called it. "Wait, how do I know that I'm not really dreaming all of this?"

"You've proven that your dreams that have me as the focus of your dreams, are usually more painful than this."

Well that was true. Still, how do I know what may be in store? I don't trust him as far as I can throw him, dreaming or not. And I can't throw him very far at all, although he may be almost the same shape as a javelin.

"So you just invite yourself into my mind at your own volition?"

"As much as I would enjoy watching your expression if I were to say yes, this is not the time for that. So no, I rarely look into your mind. With the modesty that you show, I'm certain you would flee in embarrassment if you thought I read your mind constantly." He chuckled "Your nightmares, however, are too appealing to resist. But they seem to be having ill effects upon you; I've decided to interfere this time. Though, this" he scanned the room "Is not exactly ideal for me. More blood and screaming would make this far more entertaining."

"I'm gonna ignore the latter comment and skip to a thank you. So…Thanks. I would have gotten, er…killed, I guess, otherwise."

"Killed is as good a term as any."

It was strange. I felt safe around him, safer than I would if I wasn't dreaming. But this has to really be Alucard; this was making way too much sense to be my own mind. What the hell. If I felt safe, I might as well ask him the questions lurking in the corners of my thoughts.

I took a breath; I felt safer, but not quite comfortable enough to not be on my guard. Alucard just sat there with a half smile pulling up one side of his mouth.

"Alucard?"

"Yes?"

"Do you still want to…eat me?"

He sighed. "Ever the curious one, aren't you?" I waited silently, staring at the front of his coat rather than his face, fearing what his response would be. "I want to tell you that no, I have no urge to bite you once more. But…I also want you to trust me again, so I'm not going to lie. Pura, your blood smells and tastes incredible. And the way that your heart is racing right now; it makes that prospect all the more enticing." I half expected him to bite me right now. But I wouldn't wake up from the nightmare; I'd wake up _to_ the nightmare.

Though he said that he liked the fact that I was scared, he seemed to be trying to calm me; he was tracing up and down on my back, along my wings. He continued "For whatever reason however, I still want you here. I would hate to see you dead. It's strange; I would love to devour you, yet I don't want to see you in pain. It seems I am somewhere between an instinctive, ingrained hunger and an unnatural desire to…" a smirk resurfaced on his face "play with my food."

I nervously bit my bottom lip, but somehow I knew he really wouldn't hurt me.

"Any more questions?" A good mood had crept back into his voice, and it set me enough at ease to ask another question.

"Why won't my neck heal?"

"I'm not exactly sure. It may be you, it may be me. Either way, I doubt this will fix itself."

"Well what do you suggest I do about this then?" He enjoys pretending helping me, doesn't he?

He didn't speak at first, and I thought he was just being a jackass. But when I looked up at him, he was looking away, slightly troubled. His eyes moved to lock with mine, and I knew he did indeed have a solution, but it probably wasn't a favorable one.

"Pura, do you remember how I healed you when you cut your finger?"

Oh…fuck…

I couldn't speak; if I accepted this solution, he would not only touch my neck again, but he would _taste_ me again. His _tongue_ would be on my neck. He could decide to bite me and I wouldn't be able to fight him this time.

"Don't get upset, little one. I won't force you to do this. You're free to make your own decision, and that decision doesn't have to be made right now. So relax."

I complied as best I could, and breathed again.

"Now then. Humans, with your odd sleep cycles, only dream for about thirty minutes. And you're about to end that phase of sleep."

"I don't wanna end that phase of sleep though…" I wanted to stay here with Alucard, and ask him more questions that cause me emotional distress.

"Well what if I was there when you woke up? That way you can verify everything. And yes, I do know you still doubt the reality of this." Damn him!

"That works."

His rumbling laugh was the last thing I could remember from that dream.

* * *

A/N: Awww….I got biscotti all over my laptop.

The seniors from another school pulled their prank today…and it kicked ass. They let the air out of 17 tires on 10 busses, and because of that we got a two hour delay. If they had slashed the tires rather than just let the air out, we would not have had school. Oh well.

Our senior's senior prank sucked ass, rather than kicked it. They…ugh…they dropped water balloons filled with flour from the senior stairwell. What kind of piss-poor prank is that? A piss-poor one, that's what kind!

Writing going slowly, for a few reasons: A) Stress from upcoming finals. B) Studying for finals. C) Good old-fashioned exhaustion. So don't even effing complain about the length of time versus the length of the chapter.

Well I raked out a fox cage today. And then aided in placing the baby foxes in it. One tried to climb up the side of the cage. FOXES AREN'T SUPPOSED TO EFFING CLIMB GOD DAMN IT! It didn't know this, and couldn't really get down very well. He fell, but we just put down bedding so he was okay. And since he turned out okay, it was funny as hell.

B/N: I just want to let you know, that I pwned that bad-boy known as our English Final. Hell yes.


	29. iPod Theif

A/N: Where oh where is my beta?

Oh right, that skank is out 'having a life with her family'. Loser.

But I have kick-ass carbonated cream soda candy. From Jones soda, no less. Awesome. Ummm…I dunno. Chappie 27 (its one less cause I never counted that first musical interlude as a chapter…) hasn't been betaed yet, and there have been no reviews, I don't know how people reacted to it. So I can't really yammer about it. Maybe that's a good thing.

Also…I got little to no feedback on the other story idea so…I just don't know…meehhhh…

I noticed something today. Hellsing has made all other vampire movies (except the Twilight movie perhaps) completely unsatisfying. These other vampires, they are such pussies. They hiss too much, and you can kill 'em by just randomly shooting them. To quote Josh, 'Hellsing universe vampires make all other vampires crap their pants.' Well said, Josh. True dat.

* * *

I woke with a start. I'm not exactly sure as to why, but it may have had something to do with the fact that I couldn't move. Something was holding me down.

I struggled and looked around, trying to see what my bonds were. I saw them, but I didn't know initially if they were good or bad.

Alucard's cold arm was wrapped around me, holding me still and close to him. I thought at first that he was out to hurt me, and panicked.

About then I noticed that his eyes were closed. I stopped fighting and relaxed. Once I did, his grip loosened and I snuggled into his side. As long as he was asleep, he couldn't get mad or annoyed with me, right?

I had no idea what time it was. I tried to figure out when I fell asleep, and I guess it was about 12:30 or so. But that still didn't help with my current time dilemma.

I looked up at Alucard's face, and he cracked one glowing scarlet eye and smirked. My heart raced for a second, and both of his eyes opened, accompanied with a low chuckle.

"Good morning." He murmured.

"How do you even know that's it's morning?"

"After 500 years your internal clock gets pretty well adjusted." He yawned and moved the back of his hand to cover his mouth, but not before I saw the long and razor-sharp fangs that framed it.

I gasped in horror and froze; succumbing to a bit of a flashback. His arm was wrapped around me, I was pressed against him, and those fangs that could very easily rip me apart right now were sickeningly close to my throat.

Alucard looked down at me, raising one eyebrow questioningly. He realized what had happened an instant after that.

His arms slipped away from my trembling form. I sat up quickly, reminding myself that I wasn't being attacked or pursued by a homicidal vampire. He stayed where he was, understanding (or reading my mind to find out) what I was trying to do. I calmed down after a few moments and laid back down, curling into his side and breathing in his oddly comforting scent.

"Sorry. I kinda freaked out there…" I whispered breathlessly into his suit.

"You don't have to apologize, my dear. It's understandable."

"Was that whole dream-thing real?" I asked after I had restored my pulse to a somewhat reasonable rate. Damn, I hope that doesn't happen too often.

"Of course it was."

"So…that's the only way to fix my neck…?"

"I merely suggested it, noting that no other attempt has helped so far. I'm not fully confident if it will work, but I'm fairly certain it will. Considering the fact that your wound hasn't proved life-threatening as long as the bandages stay on, you don't have to agree to anything. Think about it for as long as you want, I will not rush you for a decision."

"I'll do that…think about it I mean. Anyway, if your internal clock is so well adjusted, what time is it?" I inquired, sitting up and looking around for a clock, despite the fact I just asked him what time it was.

"Mmm, about seven. Now, I'm going back to sleep. It's far too early." He turned onto his side. "Make your mind up if you're staying here or getting up. I don't mind either way, but I'm staying on your bed, sorry to disappoint you. The thought of taking a trip down another three floors to my coffin isn't too appealing."

I thought about it for a few seconds, then decided that I was still a little groggy from sleep. "I'll stay here."

He looked over his shoulder at me and smirked. "Are you staying there, or are you going to come over _here_?" He said, rolling over and extending his arms outward.

I hoped (probably in vain) that he couldn't see the heat that no doubt showed up in red on my face.

Rather than speak to answer, I lied down and moved into his arms, which promptly wrapped around me. Alucard chuckled. "Be careful, Pura; I could get used to this." He murmured, inhaling.

I wondered to myself why I had to be careful. But before I had been wondering for too long, I had drifted off to sleep in the arms of a vampire.

* * *

A/N: Dammit that is an awesome place to end! But I wont, cause that's would be way too hella short. So I'll shove in a meaningless author's note to make myself feel better about not being able to end there. But seriously, that's a great place to break it off, don't you think?

No POV change is taking place, mind you. We still be hangin' with Pura, she's pretty rad, huh? Marie, I just stole ya word, SKANK-HO! I really should stop this.

B/N: Pura is just about the shittiest OC ever, Jen. She's like Skanky McSkankerton from Skankville.

I'm going to say this aloud as she screws up in Tetris. We got out her NES today, and much to our surprise it was still working. Then we made cookies.

But seriously, we've been playing NES for hours. About 7. She already put 'Tetris' in for Integra.

A/N2: I'm only screwing up Tetris because you won't SHUT THE HELL UP! And I said I _almost_ put 'Tetris' instead of 'Integra'. Whorey McWhorerton from Whoreville.

* * *

I woke a few hours later, feeling much better. I immediately knew whose arms I was trapped in this time, and didn't freak out. I was, however, stuck with the predicament of finding a way out of Alucard's unbreakable though sleepy grasp. This problem was made more difficult considering that my bed was pushed against the wall. On the same side I was currently trapped against, too.

I twisted around, trying not to wake him.

"Neh…" he muttered, still sleeping. His grip tightened on me unhelpfully.

"Come on, you crazy effing vampire, let me go!" I whispered as I struggled slightly, not really believing that he would hear me.

And he didn't. His eyes remained closed and the trademark smirk didn't appear on his face, as it would have if he was messing with me.

I poked him hard in the side.

Nothing.

Was this part of the reason why I had to be careful that he was talking about earlier?

"Ugh!" I grumbled. "You sleep like a freakin' rock." I tried to kick him in the shin. "And you should really stop it!" I growled though gritted teeth. His shins were too far away. I couldn't move anyway; the blankets were all twisted around my legs, which sucked.

I sighed angrily and gave up.

"Damn it…"

Once I let myself go limp, his grip loosened slightly. Upon trying to sneak out of his arms, he immediately tightened his hold.

"Oh you are a _bastard_." I snarled in my best snarling voice. I could try one more thing before I was forced to sit and wait until Alucard decided to get up. "You asked for this…"

I was able to move enough to get my face near his shoulder. He smelled nice…I almost felt bad for what I was gonna do. But he wouldn't let me the hell go.

I bit him. However backwards it was, I bit his arm.

"Hnn…" Alucard grumbled. I think I saw his nose twitch. I leaned away and exhaled sharply in annoyance. Nothing was freaking working! Then his eyes opened slowly and pierced me with burning crimson intenseness. My heart slammed; he was mad. "Is there a reason you've woken me up again, girl?"

I couldn't remember. "Uhh…" I stammered, the blood running cold in my veins.

"Well?" He growled.

I was too scared to form a reply. Alucard sat up slowly, looming over me. I felt the coldness of his shadows wrap around me, and I couldn't help but be reminded of that thing from the Stephen King story '_The Raft_'. I shivered, thinking that any time the black formless darkness would sink into me like acid and dissolve my skin.

I whimpered, struggling against him uselessly.

He leaned down, grinning cruelly, until he was inches from my face.

"Pura…?"

I turned my face to the side and closed my eyes tightly. A choked squeak was all I could manage.

I felt him move further, and shivered against his cold breath when his mouth was at my ear.

"This is for trying to reverse roles." He whispered with a chuckle.

My eyes snapped open.

"YOU ARE THE BIGGEST JACKASS EVER!" I shrieked at him, enraged.

He leaned away, laughing. The shadows melted off and I sat up.

"That was _NOT_ funny at all!"

"Oh, I'm aware. It wasn't funny, it was revenge. The fact that you're hilarious when you get angry like that is just an added bonus."

I glared at him and turned away. He was still chuckling when I picked the lamp on my bedside table up. I turned quickly and whipped the lamp as hard as I could at his face. He caught it impossibly fast with one hand. That ass! If it didn't hit him I'd at least like to have seen it shatter! He ran one finger around the lampshade, and then set it down agonizingly slowly on the other bedside table. It came down with a slight clang of metal on wood, and he patted it twice. All this to infuriate me, that jerk.

I screamed wordlessly in anger and kicked his side. I doubt that I hit him hard enough to really knock him off the bed, but he fell anyway, probably just to make me feel a little better. He landed on his back on my floor. I tore the blankets off the bed and threw them on top of him so I didn't have to look at him. I stormed out still in my pajamas, but I could still hear his laughing.

"AGH!" I growled to the empty hallway.

Or, I thought it was empty. Walter strolled out from around the corner and right into my warpath. He stopped where he was; almost at the other end of the hall. Apparently he knew to heed the rage of a sixteen year old girl in pajamas.

"What's the matter, Pura?"

"Alucard is an asshole!" I forgot that no one other than Alucard knew I could speak again.

"Well that is pretty much what he does…wait, what? _Alucard_?"

Oh right. Everyone also thought that I would still rather wash my face vigorously with porcupines than be within shouting distance of him.

A voice spoke from behind me. A low and silky voice. A voice that pissed me off at this point in time.

"Good morning, Walter. It _is_ odd, but Pura seems to have warmed up to me."

I looked over my shoulder. "Well not anymore, asshole." I snapped.

He chuckled, which made me even angrier. I took my iPod out of the pocket included for some reason on pajama pants. I spun around and whipped it at him; he of course caught it inches from his face without flinching. Bastard.

"My, my. Your iPod, Pura? You really _are_ enraged, aren't you?"

I turned quickly away from him, crossing my arms. Which made him laugh again. Through all of this, Walter stood, watching dumbfounded. And with pretty good reason.

Alucard decided to acknowledge Walter again. "I suppose now I'm going to have to let Integra in on Pura's recovery…" he muttered as he poked the buttons on my iPod.

"What are you doing?!" I yelped. No one messes with my settings. Especially if I'm angry with that person.

"You just threw it. You obviously don't want it, so now it's mine." He stated.

I grabbed for it, and he jerked it away. It would be way easier to get it back if he wasn't so freaking tall. I was jumping, pawing for the iPod. And not even getting close to it. He turned and began walking down the hallway, scrolling through my playlists.

"Walter, if you would, let Integra know I'll be coming around later. Don't tell her Pura's up and about though, that's a surprise."

"Of course…" Walter replied. I started to chase after Alucard, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Walter walking away and shaking his head confusedly.

I caught up with Alucard (he was only walking, but I had to jog), to find he was grinning at my little music player that was now probably terrified out of its mind.

"What's this song called? 'Vampires Will Never Hurt You'?" He cackled at the song title. Poor insulted song title.

"Give it back damn you! Get out of my playlists and stop stealing my things!" I jumped again for it and missed. "You're like a crow with shiny objects or something!" That was a statement he found funny. "GAH!" I growled and lunged at him.

He caught me midair by the back of my shirt and held me at arm's length. This means I was being held three or more feet off the ground and unable to reach him or my iPod.

I squirmed in his hold, but to no avail.

"You're quite a vicious little thing."

"I'LL FREAKING STRANGLE YOU!" I yelled, clawing at him. I don't care what time it was, he was driving me insane and I'm not going to keep quiet about it.

"Go ahead and try. Go on, wrap your hands around my neck, it won't get you anywhere. I don't need to breathe." Damn it! Another tactic made useless by freaky vampire powers.

Fine. I'm done. I don't want to play anymore. Stop the ride, I wanna get off. I let myself go limp.

"Giving up? That's not much like you."

I ignored him. I noticed my shirt, from the way he was holding me, was riding up annoyingly.

"Well nothing I can do will make you stop…" I unsuccessfully tried to get my shirt back to its normal position. The problem was, the cloth was tighter where I was being dangled by it, and right now it was around my chest, which didn't feel too great at all.

He laughed. "That's true."

He may have continued from that point, but I didn't hear it. The tight circle of cloth had ridden up to the point that it was around my neck. A rope holding the weight of a person had been wrapped around my ripped up throat, applying pressure all around my neck.

I inhaled sharply and painfully as my head jerked up. I saw Alucard, who looked surprised; apparently he hadn't realized I would be attacked by my own clothing either. Blinding pain shot from my neck through my entire body; it seemed like I could even feel it in my teeth. A howl of agony caught in my throat as I was dropped, then quickly caught around my waist before I hit the ground.

I must have blacked out, because I opened my eyes to find that I was lying in Alucard's lap; he was sitting cross-legged on the floor, looking down at me with a worried expression. My neck throbbed with agony, giving me a headache. Because I need something else to be in pain.

Why had I been mad...? Oh, right.

"Now give me back my iPod…" I nearly whispered; it was the loudest I could manage.

"You are a bizarre creature." He chuckled quietly as he reached into his coat to bring out the little black square I adore. "I do suppose you've earned it after that."

I sat up and accepted the iPod he held out. As I tried to repair the damage done to my settings (said damage was extensive and difficult to fix, seeing as how he had changed the language), I wondered if Integra would be angry with me for not keeping her up to date with my recovery.

I decided to voice my concerns.

"Is Integra gonna be mad at me for not telling her that I felt better?"

"I highly doubt it. You seem to think everyone is still out to get you, Pura. They only want to see you get well, Integra, especially. My dear, she thinks you despise her, you know."

"What? I don't though…"

"No, you don't. But you've been avoiding everyone and doing it so silently, making it near impossible for humans to track you down in this mansion. Integra could have enlisted my help of course, but she knew your reaction to me coming to retrieve you would be…unfortunate. So the two of you barely met up, and she made the logical assumption that you were terrified of her too."

Well now I felt bad. I didn't want Integra thinking I was a bitch. Hell, I thought she was awesome; she stopped Alucard from killing me. I had never pinned down the reason behind it, which led me to believe that she expected something of me and just put the attack on pause, but I didn't know what it was. I was afraid if she found out I didn't do too much to help the whole organization thing going on here, she would tell Alucard to resume tearing me to pieces. But still, I was grateful.

"Does your neck still hurt…?" he asked quietly.

"I think I'm alright…" the pain had gone down to a dull throb, which I could deal with.

"Ah, good." He said and grinned.

Before I could throw him a questioning glance, he had picked up me without warning and slung me over his shoulder. I responded with a yelp, as would be expected in such an unexpected occurrence.

"Why must you do these things?!" I twisted in his grip: I could walk fine, dammit.

He chuckled. "Because I can."

He was right. But I wasn't about to admit that.

"Really? Cause I thought it was due to the fact that you're insane."

Alucard laughed. "Need I remind you that you are in my grasp and completely defenseless? Or should I employ further tactics to convince you that being a smart-ass will bring you trouble?"

I stopped wiggling around. I didn't wanna know what his 'tactics' would be. Alucard chuckled darkly at my reaction.

"Err…where are we going?"

"To Integra's office. She _will_ be annoyed if we keep her waiting, though at me rather than you."

"Oh. Well can you put me down please?"

"No."

His sense of humor is infuriating.

We soon reached the office, and he finally set me down.

"By the way, are you still angry with me?" He asked with a slight smirk.

"That depends…will you never scare me like that again?" I had thought he was about to kill me…I thought I was going to feel that terrible pain of his fangs ripping into my neck again.

He must have picked up on my inner fear, for his tone grew a bit more serious. "Alright. I won't do that again. I guess that doesn't help to defend the fact that I won't hurt you. Now, come on." He placed his palm on my back, leading me along, being careful not to graze the slow-healing gash he inflicted.

He walked through the door, making me flinch. Integra sat at her desk, writing something. Her eyes flicked up to look at the two of us, and I nearly jumped.

She looked up, surprised at the sight of me next to Alucard while conscious. But she regained her sophisticated air in an instant.

"Good afternoon, Alucard, Pura."

Alucard bowed.

"Hello, Sir." I said quietly.

"It's good to hear that you can speak again, Pura. And you've recovered well; that's excellent. The fact that you are still in you pajamas would mean your Americanized teenage mentality is back, I suppose?"

Damn it! Alucard chuckled at her observation of my unsuitable clothing choice. It was his fault, anyway. If he hadn't dragged me here, I could have gotten some regular clothes.

"Now…to the more obvious change…" she looked up at Alucard. "Vampire, did you hypnotize this girl?"

"No, she has done this of her own will, however perplexing that will may be."

Integra looked back to me. "It seems Alucard was correct in maintaining that you are a strange little creature."

Strange or stupid…?

"I can see your neck is still injured. Have your wings healed?"

"My wings? Oh right, they're ok, I think. My back is all messed up still so it still hurts to move them…er- Sir." I'm not used to the whole sir thing…I forget to add it…plus it's unusual being able to mention my wings. For obvious reasons I really can't yammer on about the damn wings jutting from my back in normal conversation.

"In two months there will be a council meeting where I will need to introduce you. Unfortunately, regardless of whether your back is mended, you will have to demonstrate your wings."

Well that sucks. "Yes, sir."

"Don't get overexcited about this; nothing much will happen. These meetings are actually quite dull. You will, for the most part, just stand on the side while they talk."

A sense of humor? It sounded odd paired with that refined British accent and her otherwise threatening manner.

"Well then, was there anything else?" she asked the tall vampire standing next to me.

"Not at all." Alucard said.

She switched her gaze to me.

I shook my head.

Alucard bowed and led me out after Integra had dismissed us. As if I needed leading out; he was just being an ass.

We walked down the halls, I was planning to head to my room for a shower and a change of clothes, but I guess I was going to go wherever Alucard wanted me to go.

"I'm going back to sleep, Pura." He stated and disappeared. His exits always had to be dramatic, didn't they? He could never just walk out.

But still, that worked fine. I was actually able to get a shower and get dressed as I planned! Wow!

Rather than ignore it for a while and then freak out later, I decided to deliberate about Alucard's method of fixing the gaping friggin' hole in my neck.

All day I was completely out of it, incapable of making an effort to avoid everyone. They must have thought I was being a bitch or something.

It was like 6:30 and I was lying on a couch somewhere, staring at the ceiling. Alucard's face appeared where the ceiling should have been, making me yelp and fall off the couch. The thump of my landing was accompanied by his smug laughter.

He partially redeemed himself by helping me up.

"Well Pura, what do you plan on doing today?"

I was scared, but I should probably tell him now.

"Alucard?"

"Yes?"

I took a breath to calm myself. I had reached a decision. Damn.

"I'll do it."

He knew immediately what I was talking about and grinned.

"Perfect."

* * *

A/N: there's, so much to report!

Firstly: yeah, I just re-read _The Raft_, and it creeped me out pretty well. But I read it, and I was all like "THAT IS SO ALUCARD SHADOWS!" Basically it's this big oil-slick black monster that floats on the surface of the water and eats people. It's pretty scary…has anyone else read that or am I just making obscure references? Anyway it's a pretty kick-ass story…cept this one part always makes me feel a little sick…I won't spoil it for you if you decide to read it, but those who have will probably know what I'm talkin' about.

Secondly: yes, Pura listens to MCR. Whatever, it's good music; I don't care what you have to say. Though I doubt anyone gives a fuck about the musical tastes of Pura. Am I correct? Yes, yes I am.

Thirdly: NO MORE SCHOOL! SUMMER IS HERE, BITCHES! This summer will not match up to last year's, which has been named 'The Summer of Hellsing', but it'll still be damn awesome. This also means I can stay up late and write to my heart's content. Though I need a fan in my room or something. It gets damn hot here. Ew.

Fourthly: I GOT MY OLD NINTENDO WORKING! It's an NES, and I have all the Mario games. And a buncha others that kick ass. Oh Marie said that, didn't she? Oh well, her words don't matter.

I'll probably work Nintendo in as a frivolous chapter, so be forewarned.

Saturday sci-fi report? Yes! ALIEN MOVIES! They are so funny…

First of all, if a space-shuttle fell from orbit to the earth, would it not burn up during reentry if it was falling apart and wasn't being piloted at all? I mean, it wasn't even hot.

Also, if there are military personnel _everywhere_ looking for this ship, would someone notice more shit falling from the sky? A freaking meteorite fell and smashed into a building, destroying it, yet everyone ignored it. Or notice the astronaut/aliens crawling out of the water, violently killing three janitors, stealing a car and riding off through the docks?

Anyways…

Everyone says I'm good at writing Alucard. It seems that ability is paralleled by my inability to write Integra. That is why I wish to avoid it so.

Is this a cliffhanger? I don't know if this is a cliffhanger. All I know is that next chappie is going to be witness to Pura getting all freaked. Obviously. Maybe someone will get drunk! Maybe someone will get hurt! Maybe someone will kick over a large display of animal crackers! Tune in next week to find oooouuuuut! And the flashback was a one-time thing. Prolly. I like that way of saying 'probably'. Have you noticed?

DAMN, SON! This chapter is long! This is the longest chapter ever, yo. That's pretty cool, huh? Does that make you people happy?! 4,443 unbetaed words?! Ten pages?! Is that enough?! AGGHHH!

Wow, look at the infomercials! It's 3 am! I love it!

B/N: What if these were _real_ pandas?

Umm...Jen's making me work on my 15th birthday. Bitchy McBitcherton from Bitchville.


	30. Healing

* * *

A/N: ahh, summer. Doing nothing all day, staying up all night. Jen is happy. So Jen will write. Late into the night, like it should be.

I just got _The Host_. Marie keeps tryin' to steal it. Good thing she got her own for her birthday…

I just saw this thing on the internets. It's called 'Gregory Horror Show.'

I don't know what it is, I don't know why its here, I don't know who designed the animation for it, I don't know how to explain it to you. Hell, I don't even know if I like it or not. All I know is that it makes me tilt my head quizzically to one side.

Now for something completely different.

_Dance, dance, we're falling apart to half time_

_Dance, dance, and these are the lives you love to lead_

_Dance, this is the way they'd love if they knew_

_How misery loved me…_

Yes. I adore Fallout Boy. Lead an angry mob to my door, I don't care. By my music choice, I'm pretty emo, huh? I embrace the label. I shall change the meaning. Except for that one bitch who was walking behind me in school one day and goes 'move it you little emo freak'…I hate that bitch so much, but then again so do her friends…

How did I get on that topic again…? Eh.

On with the writing!

B/N: Umm…I'm stand-in Tetris master. I got to level 12 on Tetris yesterday, and over 50,000 points today. I have proof on my cell phone. PROOOOOOOOF

So yeah. Bow before my might. BOW BEFORE MY NES TETRIS PROWESS!

A/N2: I won't bow down to you; you are only stand-in master. I, however, am related to the true master. Therefore, I shall always be more powerful than thou in terms of Tetris, despite any score disputes. So there. Plus I'll kick your ass any day at one or more of the following: Adventure Island 3, Castlevaina 2; Simon's Quest, or Dream Master (even though I despise that game).

* * *

The way he grinned made me slightly nervous; though I told myself he wouldn't hurt me.

"Well, when do you want to do this?" Alucard asked. I imagined that I heard a hint of eagerness in his voice.

"Um…" I didn't know. When was a good time to have a vampire at your throat?

"Alright then. Let's do it tonight. Why wait?"

What?! Tonight?! That idea horrified me. I didn't think it would be so sudden…but I wasn't going to tell him that I wanted to put this on hold; he would think I was a coward. I am, but I don't want to admit it to him.

"Okay, that sounds f-fine." Damn it! Now he knew I was terrified beyond all reasonable thought.

He chuckled. "You can try to hide it as much as you like; I can smell your fear if you so much as get chills." He got up off the couch we were sitting on. "Anyway, you have about an hour and a half to prepare. I'm going to go eat; I'm sure you don't want me close to your neck while hungry." Fuck no I didn't!

"Should we meet somewhere then?" Or was I just gonna wander around the mansion looking for a vampire who was eagerly waiting to drink my blood again?

"You think I can't find you?"

"Good point."

He walked out, leaving me alone on a couch in a large undistinguished room.

Well what was I gonna do with an hour? If anything that would just increase my anxiety; there was nothing I could do to prepare for this. Nothing!

I kept telling myself that he wouldn't hurt me. He didn't want me dead anymore.

Then that thought was drowned by a louder one. What if he bit down not intentionally, but he simply became overwhelmed by the taste of my blood? He was strong enough to resist that, right?

I got up and began to wander, trying to calm myself down.

Of course, that didn't work in the slightest.

I was beginning to contemplate hiding for a while when Alucard showed up. By wrapping his arms around me from behind like the creepshow he is.

"Are you ready?" It sounded awkwardly (for me) like a date question. But…this was kind of the opposite of a date. Maybe it was his sort of date; dinner and a movie.

"Is there a definite state of readiness you expect?" I sarcastically said in an effort to lessen the fear that was making me want to hide under my bed for a while.

"I suppose not. Let's go." He began walking and I followed him, but to where I was clueless.

"Where are we going…?" I inquired. It was a reasonable question, but I didn't expect him to answer it.

He surprised me. "To your room. I figured you would feel a bit more comfortable in familiar surroundings."

I laughed nervously. 'Comfortable'? Really?

We reached my room sooner than I would have liked, and he opened the door for me; extending his arm and gesturing inside. He didn't move as I walked in, save for following my movements with his glowing eyes and a smirk. Only once I was in the room did he enter, and I noticed that even though the doorway was quite high, he still had to bow his head to get in.

"Uh…what now?" I didn't know what to do. This was his plan; he was going to orchestrate this thing.

"Do you have something to pull your hair back?"

I scurried about; trying to track down the single hair tie I owned. I never really wore my hair back except for baking. I finally found the tie (a bright purple and orange striped one. Quite jaunty, really.) and tied my hair back.

I looked up at Alucard, waiting uneasily for my next set of commands.

"Now we remove the bandages." He stated and approached me. I nearly had a heart attack as he laid one hand on my shoulder and leaned down to eye level with me. "Don't worry…this won't hurt…" he murmured as he slipped one finger between the gauze and the side of my neck. I arched my neck to one side, helping him see what he was doing, while at the same time shutting my eyes from the procedure. I felt his finger slide down my neck, wincing slightly in pain. The bandages fell away, and I opened my eyes to see them falling to the floor, the edges somewhat singed.

He gently tilted my head up as I felt warm blood seep through the neckline of my shirt. He inspected the wound, thinking about where to start, I guess.

He let me go after a few seconds. "Lay down, it's easier."

I moved to my bed and sat down on it. I paused for a few seconds, questioning the notion that he wouldn't bite down on my throat. Nothing would be stopping him…

Alucard waited patiently, watching me. Reading my mind, maybe. I hope he wasn't.

I lied down and waited for him.

I didn't wait for very long. He grabbed my shoulders, holding me still. He leaned over me, closing his eyes and breathing in.

He moved closer and I couldn't see him anymore. I shut my eyes, trying to distance myself. His cold breath actually felt nice as he lingered at my throat, not yet doing anything.

When felt his icy tongue touch my throat in the very center, I tensed up further. What really scared me was that he did to.

I heard him inhale sharply and his grip on my shoulders became tighter. In an instant his shadows had bound my arms to my sides as my eyes flew open. It was unnecessary to restrain me; I was too terrified to move. He shifted closer; pressing against me. I felt his tongue leave my neck, but he stayed where he was. I am so fucked right now.

He hovered over my throat, his breath slow. Was he struggling against biting down…? The shadows began to constrict my own breathing and his hold on my shoulders tightened further to the point where it was painful. I thought my collarbones would snap any second.

He moved his head down, closer to the bed. I didn't understand how he could at first. It dawned on me quickly.

His fangs were around my throat; poised to sink into my neck.

I whimpered as his jaw closed another fraction of an inch. I could feel his fangs making slight indentations on my neck now, so close to breaking the skin again. He stayed there for…only seconds, I guess. But it felt eternal.

He growled viciously, though at what I didn't know. The pressure of his fangs left my neck, and I resumed breathing.

Slowly, Alucard lifted away from my neck. He came into my field of vision again, but his head was down and his hair was covering his face. He stayed there for a few seconds, completely still.

He started to move toward my neck again, and I braced myself, certain that he was just going to tear me apart.

But, rather than paralyzing agony, I felt his tongue slide across my throat. He repeated the movement, with no fangs sinking into my skin. The freezing-cold feeling was actually numbing the pain, which surprised me for some reason.

I slowly began to relax as he ran his long tongue over my neck, and as I did, he loosened his shadows.

Once the front of my neck was apparently healed sufficiently, he moved to one side. I hissed at the slight pain when he first touched the side of my neck, which I assumed to be a nearly-exposed vein or artery. Creepy.

The stinging pain soon dulled, either from being numbed or healed, hopefully the second one.

It took a long time, probably because the damage was worse on the sides of my neck. However long it took, I didn't move. I figured it would only make it more difficult for him if I was shifting around.

Alucard began to move to the other side, and the shadows tightened. I didn't know why at first, until he actually touched my neck. It hurt. Badly. I guess that side was where his canine teeth cut in deepest.

I instinctively tried to escape, but he gently held me down. The pain soon dulled, and his grip loosened. He continued to lap slowly at my throat, and I found I was becoming more at ease; almost comfortable with his body pressing against mine combined with the chill of his breath and tongue on my neck. As long as the team of pain and terror weren't involved, I guess it was okay.

After a long time he rose away from my throat and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. His hand moved off my shoulder and traced down the side of my neck. For the first time in too long, it didn't make me cringe in pain. It stung a little, but compared to the agony I had felt earlier, it was nothing.

The shadows disappeared from around me and I sat up. I looked at him, noticing a stripe of blood running down from the corner of his mouth. _My_ blood. His tongue snaked out quickly and erased it.

"Are you alright?" He murmured.

"I…think so…" I reached up and felt my neck. Instead of an excruciating gash, there was little more than a sore, bloodless cut. "Wow…" I whispered.

"There will be scarring, I'm sure. But I take it that it's not so painful anymore?" He gave a slight smirk.

"Yeah." I murmured, looking down. He chuckled at my loss of words.

Without thinking, I leapt at him and hugged him.

"Thank you." I said, my words muffled by his coat.

"I think you're using the term incorrectly." Despite his words, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his lap. I looked up at him, wondering what he meant by that.

"What? Why do you say that?" I will whip out a dictionary up in this joint.

"Because, my dear, I am the one who caused the problem in the first place. You do also realize you barely survived this ordeal, don't you?"

"Yeah, but the point is, you fixed it. And you _didn't_ kill me, so accept the thanks, damn you."

He laughed. "Alright, you're welcome then."

I peeked at the clock (letting go of him as I did, but he held onto me): 10:12. Damn, that had taken almost two hours. Oh well, it was worth it.

When I looked back at Alucard, I saw he was leaning in, staring with interest at my throat. I looked back questioningly, when I felt a small trickle of blood run down my neck.

He smirked. "Missed a spot."

He tilted my head up with two fingers and my heart raced as he got near. I don't really know why; he had just been at my neck for two hours, why should I still be scared? His long tongue touched at the base of my neck and traced up, making me shiver, though not _entirely_ in fear.

He moved back, pulling his tongue in as he did. He grinned down at me, eyes glowing. My heart skipped and I looked away shyly.

I was trying to think of something to say when he set me gently back on the bed.

"Integra's looking for me, apparently there's a vampire running amok somewhere and I'm going to go slaughter it." He smiled, evidently looking forward to this. That's more than a little scary. He got up. "I'll be back, but don't stay up and wait for me. You barely sleep as it is."

He left, closing the door softly. I looked after him; missing his presence already. Which was odd considering that he mauled me three months ago.

I stayed up waiting; ignoring his instructions. By the time the numbers on my clock showed me a neon green 2:14, sleep was nearly impossible to resist. I laid down but stayed awake, and soon I felt someone sit on the side of my bed. I knew who it was; no one else could get in here without alerting me with the loud creaking of the door, but I looked up in alarm anyway.

"You just never listen, do you?" Alucard asked with a smirk.

"Nope."

He laughed quietly. "Come here." He said, taking hold of my shoulders and leaning down to lock eyes with me. I fought his hypnosis, just to be aggravating. With the amount that I was even able to fight in my sleepy condition, I doubt he even noticed my resistance as I began to lose conciousness.

"Good night." a silky voice purred from far away.

* * *

A/N: Woooo! I finally got an air conditioner in my room.

Uhhh….other than that I don't think anything much happened…

Marie's party is comin' up this weekend, and I actually got her something. Something she doesn't deserve AT ALL. You hear back from Fajir or Kite yet? I hope he wears those BEAUTIFUL pants to your party if he does come.

Oh, and by the way, FINISH YOUR DAMN CREATION, WOMAN! Jesus, we're five days into summer and you've done nothing that I can see.

Wow, no reader of mine know what in the hell I'm talking about. HUZZAH!

Beta this, Marie. Now.

…since Marie's bein' a hobag by cleaning her house for said party, I'm going to put this up with the last page or so unbetaed.


	31. A Pomegranate

A/N: there is too much partying going on this weekend. Far, far too much.

Marie; your party was awesome. Jimmie's…far too hot. 95 degrees is bad. Ew.

Agh, I'm so tired.

Hey, what's this? (clicks link)

(horrified gasp)

(runs outside, falls to knees, looks up at sky)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

NO! PLEASE GOD NO!

THEY'RE GOING THROUGH WITH THE LIVE-ACTION MOVIE!

JESUS, NO!

IT'S GOING TO FOLLOW SERAS!

Let us bow our heads in silence for this dark day. This, I'm sure, will feel like the anime, and that will ruin Hellsing. I've lost the will to write, this chapter may be a bit late. Forgive me, for bringing soul-crushing news and being late with chapters. I am truly sorry.

We can at least hope it never makes it over here to America, or wherever you live. I assume most of you live in English-speaking countries, this fanfic being in English and all. Just pray it never gets there, and Hellsing will be able to bounce back from it like they did from the anime.

Now, since this news makes me, Jen, want to puke blood, that's what I'll probably be doing if you need me. That's right, this devastates me so badly, my internal organs are hemorrhaging as we speak. Ow.

This is also late because my one finger is inexplicably in pain. Yeah, for some unknown reason, my ring finger hurts like a bitch.

B/N: My party was awesome. HEY EVERYONE! CALEB'S BACK FROM THE BEACH!

Jimmie's was also incredibly awesome. Though hot. I was here the whole time! Eat the cake, Jimmie. It's full of hope!

A/N2: What's that green thing? IT'S HOPE JIMMIE, JUST EAT THE CAKE!

Why did he still eat the cake?!

* * *

I woke to find that my one arm was asleep. That is an extremely annoying thing to awaken to, I assure you. I sat up and tried to wake my arm up, which was for the most part unsuccessful.

Finally, once my arm was working again, I got up. After making toast, I set out to decide how I was gonna spend my day. Walter appeared from nowhere like he always freaking does.

"Pura, I'm going to the grocery store, would you like anything?"

I thought for a moment, then decided to request the most random things I could think of that I liked. "Uhh…mini waffles, a pack of red licorice, raspberries, salt and vinegar chips, and a pomegranate."

I think the pomegranate was the one that threw him off.

"What an odd assortment of items…"

"I'm just sayin' if you see them, it'd be awesome if you pick them up."

He looked confused, though he agreed to check if the store had them. I decided I would make it my job to confuse Walter as much as I could. That would be his punishment for nearly getting me killed. He deserves it.

That took up about a minute. Once again, I was bored. I needed something that would make it appear I was being productive. I sat in a hallway, thinking of a mindless activity.

I chose to do something actually constructive for once. I decided to try and get my wings in working order. I'd better start soon anyway if I was gonna be put on display in two months in front of this 'Council'. It sounded like a nerve-wracking ordeal. Councils usually are.

I skipped back to my room and rummaged through my drawers, looking for a shirt I didn't want anymore. I eventually found a plain black t-shirt, one that I don't think I've ever worn, but whatever. After cutting two slits down the back and then removing the dangling piece of cloth, I pulled off the shirt I was wearing.

It was this point I realized I had a slight problem. Bandages were wrapped around my torso. Normally they would be keeping my back in one piece, which was great, but right now they were being annoying. I wanna try to fly around, damn it.

So this means I have to take a trip down to the med ward and see if I'm allowed to rip these off. Which also means I'm probably gonna have to put on a shirt. How annoying.

I put my shirt back on and made my way to the medical ward.

Ten minutes later I was sitting on an examining table waiting for a doctor to come talk to me. What in God's name was I waiting for? I was there only one here, and these guys only treat those living in this mansion. Lazy bastards. I sat there another ten minutes before a doctor walked in, carrying a clipboard. I wonder if he has a bunch of clipboards or just that one…

"Well, hello, Pura the nurse says that you- where are your bandages?!"

Oh hey I probably should have told someone about that.

"Alucard fixed my neck." I lifted my head up to prove that I wasn't a filthy liar.

"What?!" He did a double-take. I guess it was the combination of Alucard plus Pura plus Alucard being near Pura's neck plus Pura talking that baffled him. Referring to myself in third person, however, baffled me.

"Er…yeah. I'm on good terms with Alucard now, he fixed my neck, and I can talk again. Is it really that strange? I mean, you work here…a competitor for the strangest place in Europe…"

"Ah, right." He said, regaining his composure, or at least pretending to "Well then, what can I help you with?"

"Can I take the gauze off my back? I wanna try to get my wings working again."

"I suppose…your back hasn't been bleeding so badly lately, but be careful. Once you're done flying around or whatever you may be doing, get it re-wrapped, just as a precaution." He was writing on his clipboard now. I wanna steal it and run, just to see what he'd do.

"Great!" I skipped out and ventured back to my room, where I proceeded to happily cut the bandages off.

I brought out my wings, wincing at the small twinge from the stitched-up gash on my back. I stretched them out, and looked at the little scars where the bones had broken through. It seems that the broken bones didn't affect my ability to move my wings as I would have suspected.

I skipped outside, after putting my shirt on again. I'm content to not expose my pretty underwear to the entire world, thanks.

I stood in a little clearing in the surrounding but fenced-in woods, and flapped my wings once. I bounced off the ground, and there was little pain from my back. I did it again, but this time attempting to, and successfully, rising slightly above the trees with no problems. Sweet.

I decided to do something stupidly risky. But hey, I was bored as hell and naturally prone to bad decisions. So I went back in the house and climbed up to the roof. I looked over the edge at the ground far below. Able to fly or not, it makes you nervous. Closing my eyes, I took a breath and prayed I was still able to do this, despite the previously broken wings. I hoped I wasn't like a bird, and once my wings are broken once, I'm pretty much crippled for life. This was beginning to look like a terrible idea, but going back on things, idiotic though they may be, was never something I've been good at.

I stepped up on the ledge, spread my arms out in a movie-like pose, doing the same with my wings, and jumped.

* * *

A/N: POV change! Wheeeee!

* * *

Integra sat at her desk, filling out paperwork and trying not to daydream. The vampire attack last night had her bogged down, and Alucard's decision to cause mass-destruction to the house and surrounding area didn't help much.

She was putting the last signature on a form dealing with the barn her vampire had set ablaze for no apparent reason when Walter entered with tea.

"Good afternoon, Sir."

"Hello Walter." She accepted the tea and stared at the paperwork in a way that made one expect _it_ to burst into flame. "I'm convinced Alucard does these things just to irritate me. He set three horses, nine cows, and thirty chickens free from the barn he burned down, which was under the excuse that there were ghouls inside. There are forty-some agricultural creatures roaming the countryside and I get the work. Farm animals are not something I should have to deal with." She growled, standing at one of the large windows that went along the back wall of her office.

"He's always been rather…'humorous'. In the time I've known him at least."

"He's an idiot." She hoped that got back to him, and if it didn't she'd tell him when she yelled at him later for this mess.

She walked back to her desk and peered down at the papers when something caught her eye outside. She looked up at the window. Her hand moved up to pinch the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes.

"Tell me Walter, why is there a winged teenager flying around outside my office window?"

* * *

A/N: pointless little scene. I just thought of it as I was writing and pondering what was gonna go down and thought I'd share it with you! Yay! Let's get back to that teenager cavorting about the otherwise peaceful air of the daytime Hellsing estate.

* * *

Instead of crashing to the ground in a pitiful heap, I glided through the air like I had aimed to.

"Hell yes!" I yelled, throwing up my arms happily. I made a lap around the mansion, flying close to the side in case something went wrong and I had to grab a window ledge or something. Nothing did, which was great.

I flew around again, but this time I moved out towards the gate when I came to the front of the mansion. I moved higher but still forward, at a diagonal to the gate.

Hopefully they hadn't noticed yet.

I peered down, looking for the perfect place to do this. I flew above the path leading up to the gate and turned when I reached the road (after making sure no cars were coming that could see me.)

I went into a dive-like swoop, right up the aforementioned path.

"RAAAAH!" I screamed at the guards positioned there, hands in front of me in a clawing gesture.

"JESUS!" One yelled, dropping his gun in shock.

"THAT'S ME!" I screamed back mirthfully, throwing my arms out again.

The other shouted unintelligibly and jumped back against the metal gate, also letting go of his weapon. I should have taken the guns into account when I planned this. This little strategy came with a high probability of being shot in the face; generally considered a bad thing in most cultures.

But seeing as how I did not get a bullet wound in my eye, I flew back towards the mansion laughing.

That laughter was abruptly cut off when a _very_ pissed-looking Integra came into my line of sight. She stood at the doors, one fist clenched by her side and a cigar in her mouth. It seems I'm fairly screwed at this point.

My muscles locked for a second and I almost fell to the ground. Which may or may not have been better than facing Integra.

I fluttered to the ground in front of her and stood, nervously awaiting the reprimand.

"Pura…" she began, her voice dangerously calm. "You are _not_ to go flying about in broad daylight. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Sir Integra." I said in a small voice.

She glared back and me and turned back into the house, muttering something about common sense.

Wanting to avoid any more wrath, because I sure as hell wasn't going to get a second warning, I wandered back into the woods rather than going back into the mansion.

The sun went down, and I was still outside. I was sitting in a tree, counting the ants climbing up it and yelping when one got on me, when I realized I suddenly wasn't alone.

I screamed and fell out of the tree upon seeing the red-clad vampire who appeared sitting next to me. He caught my arm with a chuckle.

"It's good to see that your wings work, though your sense of balance is as nonexistent as ever."

I held back my dagger-glare due to the fact that he could very easily drop me. I wouldn't really be able to fly; I was too close to the ground. Plus it'd startle me too badly for me to react in time. Damn him with his numerous advantages.

He pulled me up and set me back on the tree branch, smirking.

"Did you have fun getting scolded today?" he asked sarcastically.

"Do you have any idea how much I want to shove you out of this tree?" I snapped back.

He laughed. "At any rate, now that you are for the most part healed, I'm going to put you to work."

"Huh?"

"Oh yes. You have potential to be dangerous, so you are going to fight the undead with me."

"I don't wanna fight the undead…" I growled under my breath.

"That's too bad." He picked me up and leapt out of the tree, flying over the other treetops into the empty grounds of the Hellsing yard. He grinned wickedly down at me. "Let's begin, shall we?"

* * *

A/N: Lack of things going on is rampant, huh? Well I don't care. Yep. Pura's gonna be a-fightin. The next chapter will outline the various tortu-training Alucard puts her through. Wooooo!

I don't have anything else to say…I'm…I'm so sorry.

B/N: Karl Marx, Adolf Hitler, Victor Hugo, and Jimjam Flimflam the Third, make up the happiest family on earth.

Yeah Jen, Jimmie & I decided that was his family.

A/N2:Is there a family picture on the mantle? That'd look so cute. It'd be as cute as you are funny.


	32. Practice

A/N: The electricity keeps shutting on and off. Eff your eff, electricity provider. One minute, I'm playin' adventure island 3, the next BAM! Level five is gone. I'm trying to kill the FUCKING SKELETON DINOSAUR DAMN IT!

Anyway…I'm all up in a Dexter-crazed state. I'ma go look for some pirated second season episodes on the interwebs before I explode…I feel like a druggie "I need my fix man, I need my fix!" Nah, more like "I need to see that sexy serial killer, man."

I love the intro to Dexter. Not just because the music is awesome, but because everything he does looks evil. He's cutting an orange…NO, HE'S SLAUGHTERING AN ORANGE. He's trying his shoes…NO, HE'S CHOKING THE LIFE RIGHT THE FUCK OUT OF HIS SHOES. I love it.

I could go on about how much I effing love that show, but I wont…unless you email me…I'd gladly carry on a conversation bout how great it is…how sexy Dexter is…and how possibly not okay it is that my friends and I find the most sadistic men so god damn insanely sexy.

No movie report, because I turned this on in the middle, and I'm really effing confused. All I know is that my beanbag pillow got a hole in it, and there are these teeny tiny foam beads ALL THE FUCK OVER MY BED.

Ya know, I think I can put 'fuck' in my story however much I want. If you've watched Hellsing, you can take it. Case in point: Jan says 'fuck' 29 times in 46 minutes in the second OVA. He wasn't even on for 46 minutes, that's just the running time of the entire OVA. I didn't count it. There's a youtube video that counts it for us. Go search it. Go on, I'll wait.

Oh look, movies be on Sunday. Zmobies. Dawn of the Dead. I have never head that version of 'Down with the Sickness' ever before in my life. That is effing hilarious. Go watch the movie (the newer one) and you will learn what I am talking about. Oh shit, zmobie babies. That's never good.

* * *

I didn't want to fight damn vampires. I'm uncoordinated and I'm a vampire magnet. I'll die if they put me out there.

"You're not going to die." Alucard purred with a smirk.

"Stay the hell out of my head!"

He chuckled and circled me, his hands grazing my wings.

"Tell me; does the ice that you create affect you? Can you feel the coldness of it?"

"Er…no, actually." I had never really thought about it.

"Good, good. Now then, can you make it so the ice is unbreakable or nearly so?"

"Well yeah, I think, if there's no bubbles inside it…are you going somewhere with this?" Interrogations are nerve-wracking.

"Of course I am. Can you freeze the water in the air?"

"No." Well I never really tried but I assumed I couldn't.

"Well that's what we're going to have to work on then."

I looked at him questioningly. What was he aiming for?

"Go on." He said, watching me expectantly.

I didn't know how to go about doing this. I tried to imagine that my hand was already in water, and attempted to freeze that. This was stupid; there's not enough water in the air to freeze, is there? True, it was pretty humid lately, but that doesn't mean that there would be enough water to freeze…

"Alucard, I don't think this is gonna work…"

"There's frost on your arm."

"What the hell?!" I yelped, shaking my arm in surprise, causing little snow-like flecks of frost flew off. Alucard chuckled quietly.

I calmed down and tried again, amassing a thin layer of ice on my hand like a glove. That's a pretty kick-ass glove in my opinion… Plus I think that's what he wanted me to do.

Then something hit me.

"Hey, can't you just give me a gun? I mean, why should I have to do this?"

"We're working from worst-case scenario up. If you have no other weapons, you can still fight...if you ever decide to cooperate, that is. Now form the ice into sharp ends on your fingertips. Jagged ice all over your hand would be a nice touch too."

I complied, getting the hang of freezing the water in the air quickly. Once I had a dangerously sharp ice glove covering my hand, Alucard grinned.

"What?" I asked, distrusting his grin. With good reason; whenever he was happy, I probably had cause not to be.

"Hit me." He stated.

"What?!" I repeated, though in a more shocked manner.

"Rip my face open. Come on, be vicious."

"I can't hit you!" I really couldn't. I was just getting back to liking him; I don't want to attack him.

"You're going to have to learn to kill, my dear. Don't worry, you won't hurt me. So why not practice on me?" He leaned down, giving me a better shot at his face I guess. I was not, of course, going to take that shot.

"Alucard, I'm not going too attack you."

"You always have to be difficult, don't you?" He sighed. I didn't move, which seemed to disappoint him. "Alright. You brought this on yourself, you know." He moved closer, taking loose hold of one side of my neck. "Attack me, or I will bite you."

I tried to jump back. "No!" I was replying to both choices.

"As long as I don't drain you dry, I don't see what the problem is." He pushed my head up with his thumb against my jaw. I struggled in vain.

"Alucard please!" I yelped. He just moved closer, tilting his head slightly and ignoring my pleading.

He opened his mouth, exposing sharp canines when I swung my hand around, clawing at his face, closing my eyes but still feeling the sickening sensation of my hand tearing through flesh and clicking against his teeth.

He let me go immediately, his own hands moving to cover his face, now unrecognizable through the blood gushing from it.

"Oh my God!" I screamed, horrified at what I had done. "Alucard are you alright?! Oh God I am so sorry!" I shrieked, but stopped when I heard his chuckling.

"That was good. Don't let them get that close when you're on the field though." He moved his hand, revealing his nearly healed face. I noticed with disturbing curiosity that I could see his fangs through the gradually closing gash in his cheek.

"You're so freaking sick! You bastard!"

"Try again; that was a nice attempt but it wouldn't stop a vampire immediately. Try for my neck or shove your hand through my chest this time. Or claw my skull open, that'd stop them." He said, ignoring me.

"You see? That's sick. That's sick and twisted and I'm not going to do it."

"Would you prefer a vampire do that to you? They wouldn't hesitate; rather, they would jump at such an opportunity. So you're going to have to take that opportunity first." He reasoned. He was right, but that doesn't change the fact that I don't want to tear the one who I was inexplicably in love with apart.

"Why can't I practice on a dummy? Something less traumatizing than this?"

"Killing is bloody; you won't be prepared for it if you practice on something that can't move or bleed. You'll get out there and you won't do it. Anyway, a dummy mocking a vampire would be too expensive to make Integra agree to it while I'm here."

He held his arm out to the sides "Now, attack again." He encouraged. I looked down at the ground and made no move to follow his instructions. "Must I threaten you once more?" He asked, taking a step towards me.

"I guess…" that tactic was just essentially rendered useless, wasn't it? I mean, he pretty much admitted he was bluffing.

He laughed. "'I guess'?" He reached out and brushed his fingers against my neck. "You seem to think I _won't_ bite you again." He grinned and leaned in like before, but faster this time.

I yelped in fear, half-flying ten feet away.

He was in front of me again in an instant.

"Don't think I can catch you? You're going to have to do more than run, little girl." He grinned, the moonlight glinting off his fangs as he loomed over me.

I shrieked and closed my eyes again as I hit him, my hand still covered in ice, catching his head just above his ear. I heard his skull crack with horrible clarity, but worse than that was how _easy_ it felt physically.

He fell to the ground and lied there, face-down, bleeding, and motionless. His hair was thankfully covering the wound that was no doubt gory as hell, but that didn't make it any better.

"Alucard!" I screamed, falling to my knees next to him. As I looked down I noticed there was blood on the ice that sheathed my hand. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared down at him in shock.

Then he moved.

He pushed his upper body off the ground with his arms. He shook his head like a dog or something and gave me a questioning look.

"Why are you…?" He began before his face cracked into a grin. "Did you really think you could kill me?" He asked, laughing. "Did you honestly-" his words were cut off by a jagged-ice-clad fist to his face.

"You dick! I thought you were dead! I think you die and you laugh at me?!"

His face regenerated; his laugh returning with his features. "That's the ferocity I wanted to see from you!"

I growled and smacked him, doing much more damage than a normal smack.

He chuckled. "Again, but keep your eyes open this time."

A few hours and several more practice shots later, Alucard stood up and half-smirked down at me. He meant to do a full smirk but couldn't at the moment.

"Now we fight for real."

I didn't like the sound of that. I stepped back slightly.

"I realize you've had no formal training, so you'll learn here. I'm going to come after you; don't let me touch you. If I so much as graze your neck, you're dead." Wait, dead how? - Training-dead or dead-dead?

He didn't give me a chance to ask; he leapt forward with inhuman speed, snarling. I tripped backwards with a gasp, off-guard. I get that he was trying to go for realism, but did he have to make it so damn _scary_?

He grabbed for me, missing, but I felt a stinging pain in my arm. I looked at it; I was bleeding from a thin, shallow cut.

"Wait, stop!" I yelped, holding my arm where it was cut.

"What's wrong?" He asked, straightening from the crouch he previously held.

"You hit me! I'm bleeding!"

"Yes."

He smirked as my eyes widened. "Oh." So that's how we're playing. "O-okay…"

We continued for several more hours until I was lying face-up on the grass, exhausted and bleeding from the many shallow cuts marking my arms and tearing through my shirt. The ice had long ago begun melting off my hand, getting more and more tiring to keep up, and now it was almost gone.

"Come on now, get up. You haven't landed one hit since we started fighting, and I've been holding back so much it's nearly painful." There was no doubt he was enjoying this.

I glared up at him. "Shut it." I knew that, and it didn't make me feel very good about my fighting skills or lack thereof.

He kneeled next to me. He looked me over, his eyes glowing in the darkness.

"Alright, I guess you've had enough for one night." What, really? He was letting me off that easily? I assumed he was gonna keep attacking me until I bled to death from vampire-y papercuts. "Let's go back into the house." He turned and started walking back.

I didn't really feel like getting up…I didn't think I could get up. "I'm just gonna sleep out here…" I mumbled.

He shook his head, amused. "The mosquitoes will eat you. And I'm not letting _insects_, literal or figurative, drain you. That right is mine."

"Ha. You're funny. I can barely contain my laughter." I snarled sarcastically.

He chuckled and I closed my eyes. I opened them quickly when I felt arms slide under me and pick me far off the ground.

I closed them again and leaned against him, having no energy or logical reason to struggle. Though the second one had never stopped me before.

He soon got to my room; I barely noticed when he phased through the walls.

He set me on my bed and looked down at me. I didn't move as his fingers slid over my wrist and brought it to his face. My heart raced; I thought he was going to slit it and lap up the blood.

"You're right." He murmured, responding to my thoughts as I froze in terror. "I've already done the first part." He examined my wrist, and apparently, yes, he had. When we were fighting he must have nicked it; he had tried not to hit anything major, but evidently he nearly had.

He held my hand and arm steady as he gently licked the blood off my wrist.

After a few minutes he released me. I relaxed now that his fangs weren't near one of my major arteries.

I snuggled into the blankets, wishing he was lying next to me and I could snuggle against him. But I wouldn't make him waste his night here.

"Night…" I said, nearly incoherent in my sleepy state.

He chuckled. "Good night." He whispered in my ear. I hadn't expected him to be so close. I would have jumped, but something in his voice kept me still.

Darkness enveloped the room as he blew the candle out, and I fell asleep almost immediately afterwards.

* * *

A/N: Currently headbanging to: The Death Note second intro song, 'What's Up People' by Maximun the Hormone. I just realized recently how awesome that song is. Japanese metal is hardcore. Yeah, 'Maximun'. That's how I was told to spell it by youtube.

Next chapter: well you're just gonna have to wait and fucking see, huh?

Nah, it's the council meeting.

Nothing happened in Jen land- OH RIGHT!-

YOU LITTLE FUCKERS! IT'S CALLED A SPOILER-ALERT, DICKWADS! YOU PUT IT ON FUCKING WEBPAGES.

Assholes…

If I say what got spoiled for me, I know someone will come along and put it in the reviews. I'm not saying names, because I don't know if anyone who's read this far will be an ass to me. But understand, I'm just being cautious…with good reason…

B/N: I doff my wife.


	33. Council Meeting and Swimming

A/N: Greetings from sitting in a car at a golf course while my father golfs. Fun times, I know.

Er…there's gonna be some third-person first-person transitions going on here…just bear with me...

WHERE A BEAR?! THERE A BEAR!

I have Razzles. Life is good.

B/N: WHERE BEAR!? THERE BEAR!

* * *

Two months passed. I got better at fighting, but still only ever managed to barely graze him. I learned how to properly fire a gun and found out I was pretty good at it. Probably from all the practice I had, which consisted of going to the arcade during my lunch break and playing 'House of The Dead 2' with Jackie. We were damn good at that game…and 'Dance Dance Revolution' but I doubt I'm ever going to use that to fight the undead. Unless a 'Thriller' dance breaks out on the field… Sadly the chances of such an occurrence seem slim to none, which is disappointing. I hadn't actually been out on a mission yet, but I wasn't exactly as excited as I was scared about it.

The passage of two months also brought with it that Council meeting. Damn.

The day of that fell on a humid June day, but it was nice and cool down in the basement. Which was conveniently where my room was located.

Unfortunately, I was too stressed to enjoy the advantages of having a reasonably cold bedroom. I was lying on my bed, wings out as I had been instructed, staring at the ceiling when Alucard walked in. It was noon and he had to be awake for this meeting too, so he was noticeably annoyed.

"Those other Round Table idiots are filing in. Come on, we have to go stand outside the door while they drone on. Lucky you, you can't hear it."

I hopped to my feet as he turned and left. I ran after him, not wanting to have to go up there alone.

We got to a stairway and Alucard picked me up, opting to leap up through the floors rather than climb up stairs. We reached a large set of doors that Alucard stared at with obvious disdain. I guess we're here.

It seemed we had to wait here for however long so I decided to sit on the floor. I nervously began counting the tiles on the floor when Alucard spoke up.

"Don't be afraid. Integra won't let them hurt you, and if they try…well, I'd enjoy seeing eleven weak humans try to get past the No-Life King." He said, smirking. He decided my idea was a good one and sunk to the ground next to me.

* * *

A/N: Here's the POV change. Third person, yo.

We're watching 'Arthur'. And we're making the best jokes ever.

Arthur only wants Marie for her body.

That's not a Roman accent.

What the fuck even is Francine? That's not Spartacus.

When they say 'snowball', they really mean…

B/N: Marc Brown, get your dick out of my ass, RIGHT NOW!

(during a show about how honey is made, honey is being bottled)

Jen: It's also bee vomit.

Marie: Jen, I wish you would start bottling _my_ vomit…

Why am I so damn funny?

& what originally started as a tribute to narcissism as I'm funny, has now evolved into: I'm funny, I'm cute, I'm handsome, I'm a philanthropist, I'm an intellectual.

* * *

Inside the room, the Round Table meeting had been taking place for half an hour.

"Gentlemen, as you may or may not know, I've accepted a new member into the ranks here." Integra said after the dull hum of the voices of the other council members quieted down. "Ordinarily, this would be highly unremarkable. But Pura is of a supernatural quality. She was discovered by my vampire," The men around the room exchanged glances of disdain at the mention of Alucard "outside of London living by herself. She had been living harmlessly as a human until we discovered her. That is why she is such a curious creature. When she chooses, she has the appearance of something dangerous—a monster, yet acts completely human. In her speech, diet, mannerisms and behavior patterns for one her age. In almost all ways, she is a normal human."

Integra scanned the room, deciding whether to say more or introduce Pura before doing so. '_Bring her in, Alucard.' _She called out to her vampire with her mind, knowing he would hear her. _'And use the door for God's sake.'_

Pura and Alucard were sitting outside the door, one resting in boredom and the other with her nail clamped between her teeth. Alucard looked up, and then smirked down at Pura, who had switched her nervous gaze from the floor to his face. "Come on, little one." He murmured softly, rising to his feet and bringing her with him by his grip on her arm.

Inside, the men looked to the door, not quite knowing what to expect. Alucard strolled in, opening the door for once rather than materializing in the room like he normally did. They watched, some leaning in on their seats, curious as to the appearance of the monster who masqueraded as human. Integra fought back a smirk when she walked in.

A small teenager, looking terrified, walked in cautiously but not far from the vampire. A strange sight; a girl seeking protection from and feeling comfortable around a vampire. They hadn't seen that for a decade.

It was then they noticed her wings.

Great leathery black wings stuck out from her back. They were no doubt able to provide flight, and were probably capable of injuring someone, judging by the ivory claws at the tips of the bones.

She took her place next to Alucard, who was standing on one side of Integra. She peered around the room, tense. One could almost feel her apprehension in the air. Well, Alucard could, and relished the scent of the girl's fear.

Sir Irons spoke up. "Sir Integra, how can you keep this creature here with no real ability to control her? She could very well be a danger to yourself, your organization and all of us here."

"Pura follows orders and has proved that she means no harm. If anything were to go wrong, Alucard could control the situation easily, which she knows well…"

Pura looked down and played with the hem of her shirt inconspicuously.

"So, Integra, you've just become a monster sanctuary, taking in any abomination that says it will change its ways?" Sir Islands asked.

Pura flinched at his words. '_I'm not a monster…'_ she thought 'Am_ I..?.'_

'_No, my dear.'_ Alucard's low voice echoed in her head. _'With your squeamishness and sometimes childish attitude, you are about the farthest thing from a monster I've seen for a while.'_

She heard him, but deep down the words still disturbed her. To hide that fact from the vampire towering over her, she growled back mentally with: '_Childish? I'll show you childish. How bout kool-aid mysteriously appearing in place of medical blood tomorrow?'_

Alucard laughed quietly, making sure no one but Pura and maybe Integra heard him.

"Pura has earned her place here. Furthermore, she has never expressed behaviors that would suggest that she is a monster. I'd also prefer if you didn't refer to my employees as 'abominations'." Integra replied, eyes narrowing slightly. "Alucard, Pura, you may leave." She dismissed them; knowing Alucard was getting slightly annoyed with the Council insulting Pura. She didn't need him getting angry; they already hated him enough.

The two left, Alucard disappearing through the door and taking the girl with him.

* * *

A/N: I'll have you know, this was supposed to be way more exciting than this. Guns were supposed to be drawn. But I got there and was like 'no that is way too OC for them.' So I'll throw in a little bonus. Now it's June, and June is swimming weather.

Also we're back to Pura's POV.

* * *

Walking out of the meeting, I relaxed for the first time in three days. "They don't like me…" I mumbled to no one in particular.

"They don't like anyone." Alucard replied.

I really was gonna find a way to replace the blood Alucard drank with cherry kool-aid.

But not today. It had gotten hotter. Alucard seemed to realize this at about the same time I did.

"I am going back to sleep. I'm not waking up until night has fallen and it is about twenty degrees cooler." Alucard purred, disappearing and leaving me alone.

Well now what the hell am I supposed to do today? Is there a pool here? I didn't know and I didn't feel like hunting someone down and asking.

Two days ago I had been told I was allowed to leave the estate for short periods of time. So I called up Jackie to see what was going on with her.

"Jackie?" I barked into the phone "What in the hell are ya doin' today?" That was how our conversations usually went- we feigned anger constantly while asking favors or a chance to hang out.

"I gotta watch my neighbor's dog. They're on vacation and they're payin' me fifty bucks to do it." She responded, sounding bored.

"Aw that sucks…wait, which neighbor?"

"The one across the street with the pool—no, Pura."

"Jackie…"

"No."

"Jackie they won't even notice."

"Pura, you know they're crazy. You even acknowledged that they hate you for no reason. They'll come home and they'll sense the fact that you were in the pool and then I won't get paid."

"Jackie, if they don't pay you I will come to your house and pay you with a jar of pennies."

"Pura we're in England—I can't pay for anything in pennies!"

"Get it exchanged."

"Fine, whatever, come over and swim. If they start freaking out, you come back here and take it, alright?"

"Alright."

Hell yes. I get to swim. Now…if I could get Alucard in the pool…no, I'd pass out and drown.

I hunted down a towel and my bathing suit (a plain black one-piece) and got changed, putting my shirt and pants on over it.

I looked around for Walter, and when I found him he was examining a small paper crane…one that I had hidden. "Walter I'm going to Jackie's, so…just tell that to whoever needs me."

"Alright…Pura, where did this little crane come from?"

"What crane?" I asked, giving him a confused look, leaving, and laughing inside.

Before I was given permission to leave two days ago, I had been thoroughly warned that if I were to say anything about the organization, I'd be in some serious shit. Like being skinned with a vegetable peeler shit.

I got a ride (well, I made some guy drive me there) and walked into Jackie's neighbor's house. I found her lying on the couch, wearing a bathing suit with a towel wrapped around her.

"Hey." I said, poking her in the face. "Let's go, it's like hell in here." I pulled off my shirt and pants.

"Yeah alright-what the hell happened to your back?!" She shouted.

"Eh…alright look, I'm not allowed to say anything how it happened, or what did it. But that's also where I got this _hot neck scarring._" I showed my neck.

"Damn…can I touch it?!"

"HELL YEAH!" Just being around each other made us both hyper.

She poked my neck. "Did it fuck up your wings too?" She asked, turning toward the pool. Oh right, Jackie know about my wings and other random stuff I could do. If you can't tell your best friend, who can you tell?

"Yeah—broke 'em."

"Jesus. What kinda shit do you get yourself into?"

"You have no idea…"

We went swimming and when I got back to Hellsing it had been dark for two hours. When I opened the doors I was greeted by a vampire who appeared out of frigging nowhere.

"Where have you been? And why are you soaking wet?" He asked from behind me, making me jump.

"My God why must you do this?! And I was swimming at Jackie's neighbor's house."

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'why'?"

"We have a pool."

Goddamn it. I knew it. "What? Where?"

"It's in the backyard…you haven't noticed it?"

The backyard was creepy. I avoided the place. The pool must be in some little grove hidden away; there's like eight of those scattered around the grounds. Pretty cool, really.

* * *

The next day I found the pool; like I had expected it was pretty well hidden.

I began skimming the pool out with annoyance. With all the random staff here, you'd think we'd have a pool guy. I guess it was just because Integra found it unnecessary...unnecessary only because she didn't swim. Bah. It was around the temperature of the sun itself again today too.

After I had gotten the spiders out the pool I tossed the skimming-thing to the side. I looked back at the pool when I felt a hand being planted in the center of my back. Before I could turn around, the hand was thrust forward, catapulting me into the pool with a shriek.

I surfaced, choking on the water. I looked angrily around for who had shoved me in the pool though I already had a pretty good idea. I found him grinning at me, standing close to the edge.

"Alucard you are such an ass." I snapped. At least I was already in my swimsuit.

He laughed. He was wearing his normal outfit, which I didn't understand. That was a damn heavy coat and it was ungodly hot out. He had his hat and sunglasses on too.

I got over it quickly and decided to purse another plan. "As long as you're out here you might as well get in the pool too."

"No. I prefer just watching you humans flail around in a pathetic attempt to move through an environment you're clearly not suited for. It's quite amusing."

"Hey, I swim fine. And that just sounds like a cover-up. Can't ya swim?" I teased.

"If you must know, yes, I can swim very well. Better than any human. I just dislike it greatly."

"Oh yeah? Well I guess either that or, ya know, YOU CAN'T SWIM!" If I could get him to take his shirt off by baiting him, then yes, that works. That works great.

He gave a quiet chuckle and walked away. Damn.

Ah well. I floated on my back, feeling the warmth of the sun on my front. I closed my eyes, relaxing.

I didn't even notice when something colder than the water wrapped around my ankle. When it caught my other ankle and wrists, though, I became a little alarmed.

"What—?" I began, opening my eyes…to see a huge black wave rising over and engulfing me.

I screamed and fought as the thing pulled me under the water. It surged over my face and I could breathe again, but I was a little too freaked out to really notice it.

I opened my eyes and, oddly, I was able to see perfectly under the water as I was dragged down. I noticed the sides of the pool halfway down were coated in black moving stuff. My arms and legs were pinned to the bottom of the pool, and the blackness was covering everything. Once I actually hit the bottom it rose up to block out the sunlight that filtered down, producing a muted, barely noticeable glow.

Then a threatening form glided across my field of vision. I recognized it, but I didn't believe it, rather just struggled more. I didn't think of what I knew that form to be.

A huge shark was in the pool. Fuck this pool.

I screamed against whatever it was that covered my mouth and arched my back off the pool floor. I thrashed, and, amazingly, I broke free. Breaking through the surface with a gasp, I clung to the side, my breath fast.

I looked down, to see no shark and the blackness receding. I sighed in relief, and immediately after that an inky tentacle gripped my ankle and tore me away from the edge and back down into the water. Once I was under, the same condition returned, but the hold on my arms and legs didn't budge when I struggled.

The shark once again swam by, silhouetted against the glow. I saw it again and realized it was circling; getting closer.

It eventually was close enough that I could make out its features. It seemed to grin; sharp teeth shining at me, making me panic. Its eyes were unnerving. For one there were eight of them, and they were all fiery red. It seemed familiar, but I was too terrified to place it.

The huge shark swam down, coming to seem to look me in the eye. Its rows of teeth gleamed horribly. It was a massive thing; it didn't look like it should fit in the pool.

It opened its mouth and swam forward. I screamed and thrashed uselessly when everything went black.

I opened my eyes to see trees swaying in front of the sky. I was soaking wet, I noticed vaguely. I groaned. What the hell just happened?

A voice spoke out. "You're disappointing. You passed out just as it was getting fun."

"Al-Alucard?" I asked, sitting up slowly; I was kind of dizzy. He was sitting next to me, and had ditched the sunglasses and hat.

"Still say I can't swim?"

That. Bastard.

I punched him in the face, hurting myself more than I hurt him; he didn't even flinch, much less whip his head to the side like a normal thing would if you punched it. And it was like hitting stone.

"I couldn't keep you underwater when you went unconscious; I thought you might've gotten hurt. But it seems you're quite alright." He didn't even notice that I just decked him. "It's odd; I didn't think I'd be able to smell your fear in the water. The scent of your blood, I expected, especially with all the cuts you've acquired." 'Acquired'? You put them there, jackass. He seemed to just be thinking aloud now…and it was freaking me out. I wouldn't show it though. I glared at him, holding my hand that surely was going to be bruised.

I soon turned away from his smirk, scoffing in disgust. His arms slid around my middle and pulled me close to him. He leaned down, his hair tickling my bare shoulders.

He spoke, his voice in my ear and his breath on my neck. "Now, now, little one; can't I have some fun too?" He whispered. "Take it as revenge for the kool-aid." Yeah, I actually pulled that off this morning. I left some blood in the bag, so he wouldn't smell it. I wish I could have seen him when he noticed the cherry flavor instead of what it normally tasted like, but being near him when that happened may have resulted in bodily harm.

I shivered and he chuckled. "I've always loved these reactions of yours…" He pressed the side of his face on the side of my neck. "Not only is your trembling amusing, but you smell so appealing when you get like this…I don't know which is better—your fear or this…" He murmured. I think this is better than him scaring the hell out of me. But that's just me.

He picked me up. "Come on, let's get you dried off…" He evidently knew I would probably just trip if I were to try walking back to the mansion now.

It must have been an odd sight; an immensely powerful and often hungry vampire carrying an immobile but living girl. A girl he would love to kill, but would still be alive for quite some time.

…Right?

* * *

A/N: Guess which girl had two thumbs and is helping rehabilitate a bald friggin' eagle? (points to self with thumbs) THIS ONE RIGHT HERE!

Red Creek (place where I doth volunteer) got a juvenile bald eagle in last night. He's beautiful… sadly, they don't know what's wrong with him…but on two lighter notes, he's doing well and a baby great-horned owl is damn cute…he's all fluffy-looking…and his little ear tufts are growing in…I just wanna give him a hug. But I'd get my eyes ripped out. Whee! I have pictures of him.

Also my computer got a virus…so that sucks…

MY GOD HAVE YOU SEEN THE NINTH BOOK COVER?! OH IT'S SO HOT!

You present to me a sexier thing than dark Walter _and_ bondage-suit Alucard on the same cover. Go and try. You shall fail.

On a side note; if I ever begin to look like _anyone_ from the Farmer's Market- kill me. Just kill me. My god, the shirts these people wear…well, I guess it's better than the guy with _no shirt at all._

Ohh he was _hot._

More NASCAR jackets than teeth there…

You can also play one of my favorite games- 'What is that?' Is that a man or a woman? Its really hard to tell sometimes.

B/N: Umm…Jen, you see me every day, how can you not think of something sexier than Dark Walter & Bondage-suit Alucard together?

Umm…the more NASCAR jackets than teeth is my joke. Actually my father's. Fritzer has some pretty great Skook jokes.

Jen…we really need to show your readers our pictures from Wednesday. I wonder how we could do that….photobucket, perhaps?


	34. Coffin

A/N: Meh whatever.

I was just playin this free trial 'Tradewinds' game that came with this laptop. I decided to play it, because my aunt had it a while ago, and whenever I played it there, I kicked serious ass. But this is apparently a different version, and impossible at that. So it gets a 'fuck off' from Jen.

Er…this bottle of water smells funny…is that ok?

Anyways, as of now, if everything goes as planned, the next chapter will be a fourth Musical Interlude. Or Musical Interlude IV because I thoroughly enjoy the use of roman numerals.

Now for something completely different.

Today I looked at the list of people who've added this story to their favorites, and I'd just like to make it clear that I love you all. Cept you, Marie. You can go blow a goat. And beta my story while you're at it…no, actually, don't. Do those two things separately, but do them both well.

Hey! The electricity is doing that fun thing where it goes off for no apparent reason! Yay!

Also I have Cookie Crisp cereal. So I win.

Also, when I first put this chapter up, FFN was acting up...so I took it down, and now I'm re-postin' it.

It's still acting weird, but I just don't care.

* * *

The next day, with nothing better to do, I once again found myself wandering the halls. This wasn't ordinarily an uncommon occurrence, but I was exploring the ominous basement-dungeon and it was one a.m. My schedule had gotten all screwed up and I now fell asleep around four A.M. and woke up at one P.M.

Also, this time I had a definite goal, which was to find Alucard's room. I had realized today that I had never even seen his room, and damn it, I want to see it. Due to the fact that literally anything could be in there, I should probably have a crowbar or a bat…or a tank.

I don't know if it was better or worse that Alucard wasn't here and out on a mission. On one hand, he could go in his room and wait for an unsuspecting victim (myself) to wander in and proceed to scare them into a coma, on the other hand, I didn't know what the fuck Alucard kept in his room, but I'm betting its not puppies and butterflies. Unless of course those puppies and butterflies feasted upon human flesh and were hideously mutated, then yes, puppies and butterflies.

Basically my game plan was to poke my head into every room I found. Not a good one, considering the aforementioned demon spawn; but the only plan I had right now.

Unfortunately, I had been searching for an hour with no luck. The only hint on the location of his room was that it was three floors below my own. The basement-dungeon is extensive as all hell, and I had every reason to assume that his room was through some kind of hidden secret passageway. I probably had to find a hidden door, punch in an access code, give a fingerprint scan, crawl through a cave, scuba dive to another cave, crawl through that one, outrun a dragon, place ritual stones in the correct slots on a wall, and unlock his door, using only a paperclip and a bobby pin. And I was not dressed to scuba dive.

I ran my hand along the wall as I walked, looking for said passageway. I think I was getting close; it had been getting gradually darker for the past ten minutes. I hope _some_ lights stayed on; being in this place in pitch-darkness is a pretty frightening thought.

I peeked into another door, finding an empty room. Creepy, but empty like most of the others. I sighed, wishing I still had that map. It has gotten lost at some point, and since I had made it my job to make sure Walter understood nothing of what I said, I couldn't ask him for a new one.

I continued on, until I was standing in a stretch of hallway with a horror-movie-esque flicking light, and the hall in front of me had no light at all. I was faced with a decision: either go on into the foreboding darkness, or wuss out and go back. Sadly, since I put it that way inside my own head, I was forced to go on.

Walking tentatively through the darkness, I jumped at the slightest noise. Sound travels pretty well through the mansion, so that was fairly often.

My hand slid across a wooden surface, definitely a door. At this point, I had been stumbling through the pitch-dark for about ten minutes, so I was happy to find a door to change the feeling of cool damp stone. I slowly opened it, finding a room dimly lit by candles that were mounted in little holders that jutted by threes from the walls.

Looking around, I'd say this was mission accomplished. There was a tall-backed chair on one wall of the room and a bookshelf filled with leather-bound and ancient-looking texts. Also what was defiantly _not_ a model of a human skull. No, that was real, and I wasn't going near it. There was also another door to the left of the entrance. I peeked inside.

Damn, Alucard has a friggin' wine cellar in his room? I walked out of the room walled with wine-racks and my eyes were drawn back to the bookshelf. Something was wrong…something just didn't fit… a little bright fleck was sitting on one of the shelves. I squinted at the speck, and was amazed at what I saw.

One of my little cranes. It was green; I hadn't used green paper in months…how long ago had he found that? My first instinct was to make an 'Aww' noise. I then realized that if he heard me 'aww'-ing him, he'd probably strangle me. So I kept the expression inside my head.

I walked towards it, and almost tripped on the object sitting in the middle of the floor. I hadn't noticed it before…it was almost like a coffee table…if coffee tables were shaped like coffins, that is. When I noticed that this object was indeed a coffin, I jumped back. Jesus, what if there was something in it?! Something that wanted to gnaw on me…

I leaned in, cautiously, ready to bolt at the slightest bump on the lid. The surface of the coffin was shiny black to the point that it was nearly reflective, and might have been in better light. It was trimmed with gold that was almost certainly not imitation. It hit me that there wasn't anything inside it. Vampires slept in coffins…damn Pura; you're stupid for not figuring that out sooner...I refrained from smacking myself in the head for now.

A silver inscription gleamed near the top. "_The Bird of Hermes…" _I whispered, reading only part of it out loud, not knowing what it would do. I will not be the one responsible for summoning some demonic monster from the mouth of hell.

I reached out slowly to run my fingertips across the words.

And then a cold hand grabbed the back of my neck.

I screamed piercingly as the hand quickly lifted me off the ground. I was turned around to face the owner of the hand. The very annoyed, perhaps pissed owner of the hand. I'll give you three guesses as to who it was. Here's a hint; it's Alucard.

I cringed in his grip, turning my face to the side. I'm pretty much screwed. I trembled, awaiting whatever punishment he was going to administer.

"Do. Not. Touch. That." He said, the effort to control his voice obvious in his words.

"I'm sorry." I squeaked. If you were being held in the air, at the mercy of a vampire whose room you had pretty much broken into, you'd squeak too.

He sighed and put me down. "That saying about curiosity killing the cat is going to ring true for you one of these days. Anyway, you should be in bed." Yeah, like I could sleep now…he nearly just gave me a heart attack and now he expects me to fall asleep?

He noticed my reluctance and grinned. "I'll…'help', if you want." He purred, slipping his hands over my shoulders. I looked up, surprised at his change of moods. Looking up was not something that I should have done.

Just a glance at his eyes was enough for him to trap me. He had me paralyzed with his stare, and by the time I broke free, sleep was inevitable. He chuckled and picked me up.

"You cheat so bad…" I accused him, leaning my head against his chest and closing my eyes.

"You broke into my room. I get to cheat now." He replied. Bastard.

He reached my room and set me on my bed. I shot one last glare at him before he left, to which he smirked back. The last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was that smirk, and it pissed me off.

* * *

A few days later, I was lying on my bed, playing Tetris on the internet. Like usual, I suddenly became aware of a red-clad vampire sitting at the edge of my bed, watching me. And, like usual, I jumped, falling to the floor painfully.

"Damn it! Will you ever stop doing that?!" I snapped as he laughed, fangs gleaming.

"No." He said with a grin.

"Well, is there any reason you came here, other than to terrify me?" I asked, hopping back on the bed and rescuing my somehow intact laptop from the floor.

"Actually yes. You're coming with me on a mission tomorrow night."

"What?!" I almost fell off the bed again.

"Don't worry, it's a small mission. One vampire, five or six ghouls maybe. Now, I suggest you stay up tonight, and sleep during the day tomorrow. You're going to need to be fully awake at night."

He left, saying something about preparing. But I couldn't hear him over the panic that had taking over my mind.

I tried to comply; sleeping during the day. But I couldn't. I just lay there, terrified. If I went out there, I was going to die. I'm not ready to fight a vampire who would actually kill me, I'm never even ready to fight _Alucard_ during practice, so how the hell and I going to defend myself against a, for lack of a better word, real one?

I looked at the clock; noon. I can't go on a mission. It feels like a cowardly thing to do, but I have to get out of doing this. My last encounter with a 'wild' vampire ended up with me in a coma for three weeks. I got up and quietly made my way to Alucard's room. I guess I was just gonna tell him that I wanted out…

Standing in front of his door, I was too afraid to knock. Afraid of him, afraid of the disappointment or anger he might exhibit upon my request to not go on the mission, and, in the back of my mind, afraid of the complete and utter darkness I was enshrouded in.

I was about to turn back when his door opened, startling me a little. He stood in the doorway, dressed in his suit, his hair a tad messy (which looked pretty nice, actually).

He stared at me for a moment. "Come in." He murmured; an almost irresistible invitation.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the shortness. Originally this and what would be the Musical Interlude were supposed to be one chapter, the part of musical interlude happening from Pura's POV. But I decided it was better from Alucard's. Plus, even though I'm not really one to take requests, someone was wondering when the next Musical Interlude would be, which gives me further excuse to write one.

I have nothing else to say. Marie?

B/N: TEH CLIFFNESS!

HE'S GOT ME JEN, HE'S GOT ME! HE JUST SPIT VENOM INTO MY FACE. JEN, GET UP ON HIGH LAND! I FEEL SAFE! DO I NEED A STEPLADDER IN ORDER TO CLIMB THIS LADDER!?


	35. Musical Interlude IV

A/N: Well, the bald eagle is doing much better this week. He's standing up and I'm pretty sure he's eating on his own. Not that you guys care that much…

Anyways, I just got back from hell. First; graduation party for my cousin…it was hot and boring. Then, after I had specifically told I was not going to be forced to go, I was dragged to a campground filled with 40 year olds I didn't know and girls my age I hated.

There's a horror movie on…what the hell? Are those Gummi Bears that dude's eating?! What kind of horror movie involves Gummi Bears?! I mean, yeah, they're bears, but they are the least threatening variation of bears.

Damn it I wish I belonged to the Unfortunate Animal of The Month Club…

Alright, let's move on. Mm-hm, Musical Interlude.

B/N: WHERE BEAR!? THERE BEAR! BEAR!

* * *

I woke suddenly; I could smell Pura's blood, her fear too. I thought about ignoring her and going back to sleep or getting up and just killing her...but I decided against it. If she had found the courage to wake me up, she must have something important to tell me. Rather, she had better have something important to tell me.

I phased a suit on before opening the door. Humans got one thing right; comfortable sleeping outfits, namely these 'boxers', and if this girl were to see me shirtless, she might lose consciousness. I opened the door just as she was about to give up, and I heard the spike the surprise brought in her heart rate.

I looked at her, not even needing to read her mind to tell something was troubling her; obviously the mission tonight.

"Come in." I invited, walking back into the room. She hesitated, and I turned back "Come. I'm giving you permission."

She walked tentatively in and I mentally shut the door, making her jump. I smirked at her tense qualities, but instead of her normal glare, she only shot me a worried glance.

I sighed. "What's wrong, little one?" I asked, taking her into my arms.

"Alucard, I don't wanna go on the mission." Her voice was far shakier than it had been for a while.

"I expected as much." I said picking her up.

"Huh?!" she yelped as I placed her in my coffin. Pura immediately tried to get out, jumping as if it were burning her. I laughed at her reaction.

"My dear, I'm not going to be mad at you for touching my coffin if I deliberately put you there." I murmured, gently pressing her back down as I climbed in beside her. I chuckled quietly at the blush rising on her face from such close quarters.

I closed the lid, my coffin suddenly able to comfortably accommodate two people.

'_What in the hell?!' _She thought.

"Pura, you're well aware that physical boundaries mean absolutely nothing to me." I purred in her ear. Despite the extra space, I held her close. She soon calmed down, nuzzling against me.

I could smell the slight scent of coffee on her breath, and the fragrance of the candle she burned in her room on her skin. But the scent of her blood seemed heightened now that she was in my coffin with me.

I pushed the need to eat the helpless girl away for now. "Now, what exactly are you afraid of?" What should she fear when she has already walked away from the attack of a monster far deadlier than anything she will face tonight?

"Alucard…" fear rose up again; tempting me. "Something's going to get a hold of me…it might not kill me, but it'll come close…" She bit her bottom lip nervously.

"Do you really think I will let anything get near you?" I asked, tilting her head up. I traced down her neck, her fragile life pulsing though her veins just under my fingertips.

"Well…" she was uncertain now. Good. "It'll get me when you're off doing something else…when you're not looking…"

I leaned in, my nose skimming along her neck as I breathed in. "I'll be right next to you…I won't take my eyes off you."

"I'll get shot…or something…" her voice was shaky, breathless.

I pressed my lips to her throat; she gasped, not quite in fear. "I'm bulletproof, remember? And you should know I'm fast enough to get in the way of one." I let my fangs scrape harmlessly against her neck, fighting the urge to press them a little more forcefully into her throat.

"Ah…right…" she had given up. For anyone else, giving up against me would mean that they would soon be dead.

"You're coming with me tonight?" I deliberately let my hair brush her neck, making her shiver.

"Yeah." She whispered, heart racing.

I smiled against her skin. "I'm glad…this should be fun." But it wouldn't be if she was exhausted the entire time. "Now, are you going to fall asleep on your own, or do I have to persuade you?" I moved away from her neck, ready to put her to sleep.

"I can stay?"

"Yes, for tonight."

She looked up at me, trying to gauge my intentions from the glow of my eyes. She had good reason; lying inside a vampire's coffin, in the arms of the vampire the coffin belonged to, blind from the darkness (though I could see perfectly), and about to fall asleep. That was enough to kill a normal human; but _she_ smelled delicious. The odds were not in her favor.

Pura decided against logic. She yawned slightly and snuggled against me. I allowed it, enjoying her scent and warmth.

I turned to lie on my back, bringing her with me. She fell asleep quickly, needing no help from me for once. After a few minutes, once she had little chance of waking up, I phased out of my suit again. She shifted to lay her head on my shoulder.

Her chest was pressed against my side; I could feel her heartbeat. The slight twitching of her skin reverberated into my own silent chest, mocking the life that had been absent for centuries. It felt…nice. But it made the prospect of sinking my fangs into her throat and hearing her scream for her life all the more appealing.

I brushed my fingers across her neck, having half a mind to slit her throat. Then I felt the scar tissue that arced around her neck; I doubted she would ever completely forgive me for that. She certainly would never be able to forget it, not with this twisted reminder of her pain. I sighed, the desire to kill her dissipating.

Perhaps I should be angrier with her for breaking into my room. But maybe just hypnotizing her was enough; it terrified her when I did. She knew that I could kill her at any moment, but she liked to think that she could at least fight back. But to be under my power without even the notion of defending herself horrified her. The same held true for the control I had over her when I was even near her throat. Oh sure, she enjoyed it; but I didn't miss the twinge of fear that sparked up when I moved away, when she realized how powerless she had been.

How would she fare in actual combat? If she wasn't able to fight, the other knights may just vote to get rid of her. Not many of them ever liked the thought of a woman with any sort of power, and if Pura was even involved with Hellsing, she had some manner of power.

Though, no matter how much I trained her, she wouldn't be ready for her first mission. I can see it in her eyes; she's still far too innocent. She's not ready to face the reality of death. But she never will be if she doesn't experience it firsthand.

She certainly is strong enough to take down a low-level vampire. She doesn't realize how much faster she's gotten; as she shouldn't. I've been adjusting to her improvements, making her continue to push herself. But still, she's in no shape to face numerous or powerful enemies; I'm going to have to keep close watch on her. After all, I have exclusive rights to her blood, and I'm sure she'd agree. Any other vampire would almost definitely rape her, and she knows enough to realize this. That, and of course familiarity (which would probably make it worse for her), was the only difference between killing her myself or another vampire catching her. If I was again ordered to kill her, I knew I would once more make her howl in pain before I bit her.

As I was imagining the torture I could put her through again, she whimpered softly and stirred. It seems she still can't even find peace in her dreams. I curled my arm back around her. I leaned down and began to hum quietly in her ear, making sure the sound went into her mind, not just white noise in the background.

Though I didn't expect it to have any effect, she relaxed. She murmured quietly and nuzzled against the side of my neck, resting with my hair in her face. It seems I can finally fend her nightmares off again, not just cause them.

I yawned, and started to fall back asleep when I remembered something.

My shadows crept up on her sleeping form, enveloping the oblivious creature…and formed into my coat. I didn't want her to get cold.

I looked back at her, to find that she was awake. She was blind, that was certain, but she seemed to be looking back at the coat, still a little formless along the edges. She brushed her fingers along the collar, feeling the cold mist-like shadows that were almost on her neck. She should have screamed; she should have tried to get away, thinking that I'm trying to eat her. But she closed her eyes, going back to sleep with a content sigh.

I chuckled. "You're insane." I murmured to her; she was already out. I laid my hand on her neck one last time, still fascinated by the thought of a completely at ease human, lying in my coffin next to me.

I soon fell asleep, a reckless little human who should be long dead cuddled against me.

* * *

A/N: Saw Hannibal Rising; AWESOME…but…that's another one to add to the 'Catalog of Sexy Sadistic Peeps'. This is beginning to be a problem.

Also the fourth party was kickass. Oh Caleb and Nick and your orgies. Then they got lost. So they hitchhiked by the highway. BEN, YOU'RE TALL.

God I am exhausted though.

'Fear Itself' on NBC(?) was creepy this week. Anyone else watch this? (Josh, you don't count. I sent it to you.) 'Eater' was this episode. (_Shudder_) No but go watch it. Someone uploaded it to youtube. Someone awesome.

Damn…this felt like it took too long. I'm sorry. I always take too long with Musical Interludes. Because I always feel like my damn Alucard is off. Grr.

B/N: I like when Nick burned Caleb with his cigarette.

And the sink and free sign? Bwaha!

MALEY! I love how he called his mother a hooker, & then was like, "Bye Marie and Jen, my little sausage wallets! I'll bring more money next time!" And his mother just laughed. What a cool lady.

And then Jimmie beat Ben fisticuffs style simply because Ben hit his head on the ceiling. Boy howdy.

A/N2: Nick winning at chicken against the car? And then chasing after the car?! I LOVE THAT KID!


	36. First Mission

A/N: Ello again.

Well I just watched two of the most depressing animated movies I've ever seen. 'Plague Dogs' and 'Watership Down'. The old way of animation, not the new CGI bullshit. They're not really for little kids, due to violence and the aforementioned really depressing endings. But really, check them out. Sad but great, ya know?

AH! I LOVE THE FACT THAT THIS LAPTOP PLAYS DVDS! Oh god, it's so great to have Hellsing RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE. Yes…

Oh I have stumbled on so much great Hellsing AMVs…improper English but I don't care.

Ewg…flies…FLIES IN MY ROOM. Little bastards get in every summer…I HATE ME SOME FLIES!

The following has no importance to anyone. Most of these notes don't…

I had to go to the eye doctor. AGAIN. FOR FOUR HOURS. I shall now relate the story of the ninth circle of hell to you.

Mmkay. We waited there, in a room full (I mean full; we had to stand because there were no chairs left) of old people and small children, for the first hour. Then, we were taken back, I had drops put in my eyes (take note; when I get drops in my eyes, I squeak and convulse-jump). I took the standard 'read the line' test. The dude says 'oh, the first drops wore off by now' so he put MORE burning drops in my eyes. Then he brings out what appeared to be a blood pressure machine with a little nub on the end instead of a cuff. He says 'we're gonna measure the thickness of your corneas.' Which I was aware meant 'I'm gonna shove this thing directly onto the surface of your eyeball.' I, in turn, had a mini freak-out and got out of it. I've learned to use the fact that when I panic, I look REALLY pathetic and can usually get out of things. So we go into the second waiting room. Oh yes, the second waiting room; they have two separate waiting rooms. Three if you count that the second is divided a bit. We wait there for another hour. Then we go into an examination room, wait there for about 45 minutes. Then the nurse comes in and put more of the same drops in. I'm still convulse-jumping from this by the way. She leaves. Ten minutes later, she and the doctor come in. And guess what they tell me? THE FUCKING DROPS WORE OFF! OH ISN'T THIS FUN JEN?! HERE, HAVE SOME MORE FUCKING DROPS INTO YOUR EYEBALLS! THEY NUMB YOUR EYES BY MAKING YOU CONCENTRATE ON THIS HIDEOUS BURNING SENSATION RATHER THAN SHIT WE'RE SHOVING INTO YOUR RETINAS! HA-HA-HA!

Right. So they bring out this machine 'this is gonna go on the surface of you eye!' he says. Ah, fun. He tries it, and I jump away just as it touches me because it fucking hurts to get poked in the eye. He tries again with similar results. Guess how they remedy this situation? That's right. More eye drops. By this time, we've reached the seventh circle of hell. He does the test in another five minutes, bringing me into the eighth circle. Oh but there's more.

Now they're gonna take pictures of my eyes. 'Oh, okay.' I think 'this doesn't sound so bad…' FOUR MORE DROPS, THESE ONES BURN INTENTIONALLY. I go BACK into the waiting room while my eyes dilate. They tell me when I leave to not look at bright light, obviously because my pupils can't contract. They proceed to bring me into a room, sit me down on a chair, and for ten, yes ten, minutes, I counted, SHINE A HORRIBLY BLINDING LIGHT INTO MY EYE. Awesome. So now one eye is blind, and they say 'oh darn, we can't get these pictures right now. Go wait more till your pupils dilate a bit further.' We wait. They take me back in juuuust as I regain sight in that eye. I loose it soon afterwards. The other eye takes another ten minutes, blinding that one. I found the ninth circle.

Hahaha…you know what's really funny? It turns out that there's nothing wrong with me, and they didn't think there was anything wrong with me to begin with. Hahahaha! We just took these tests to charge you money! Oh isn't that funny?! FUCK YOU, OTOMETRIST.

Sorry this note's so long, but if I didn't write this I may have gone insane. I'll make up with a lengthy chapter. Aren't you lucky?

Oh, um, I guess I'll warn ya; what one could say is graphic description of dead things is happening. There. There's a warning. Don't get all pissy with me now.

* * *

Waking up in darkness was not unusual for me. After all, I had no windows in my room, so with the door closed, I woke up in pitch-darkness. It was when I reached out to turn my on light but my hand met a silky, padded wall that I began to freak out.

I grabbed the blanket to throw it off, when I recognized the material. A soft, yet heavy cloth which I knew to be blood-red. Alucard's coat.

Oh, right. I was in his coffin. Waking up in a coffin was a slightly disturbing thought, but as long as it wasn't six feet under, I guess its okay. He surprised me last night; letting me in here. I had placed that in my mental list of 'Things I Should Never Even Friggin' Look At'. And now he let me sleep in it. My whole world has been flipped upside down. Forty days of darkness, seas will boil, frogs will fall from the sky, men will run down the street aflame, dogs and cats will be living together, I'll stop exaggerating. Or not.

It was then I realized I was lying half on the soft, pillow-like floor of the coffin and half on…what was this? Marble? It felt smooth and solid enough. I ran my hand over the raised stone and felt it curve like muscles on an ancient sculpture. Except this was moving; breathing. This…this was not marble…

My breath caught in my throat. I was lying on a shirtless Alucard…my God…

My fingertips slid over his cold and rock-hard skin; he had abs.

Why? Why is there no light? The one, solitary time I don't have my iPod to illuminate my surroundings, there is a half-naked and very attractive vampire sleeping next to me. Of course. Is it karma? Have I done something wrong?

I sighed, knowing if I tried to slide the lid of the coffin off to let in some light, not only would I fail miserably, but I would wake him up.

I laid my head on his shoulder, noting with fascination that that comforting scent of his came not from his clothes or cologne but from his skin…did all vampires smell this nice…? Well if they did, I am slightly more screwed than I was ten minutes ago.

This mission tonight…I wasn't so afraid of it anymore. I was certain he wouldn't let anything touch me; he said there were only like five ghouls and one vampire. Apparently that was a small mission…

But still; he would protect me. I knew that I could actually trust him again. And knowing that made me feel ecstatic. Being ecstatic apparently made me lose my senses.

I wiggled up as far as I could in his hold, which was eye-level with his cheek. That would do; I craned my head up. I knew what I was about to do was stupid, but I really didn't care. I took a breath; praying he wouldn't wake up. He'd kill me.

I softly pressed my lips to a spot just above his jaw line. I held the kiss for only a second; fearing his reaction. I bent my head down, nuzzling against the side of his neck, shyness making heat rise on my face. Maybe it was cheating; sneaking a kiss while he was asleep. But trying that when he was conscious would give him a fine excuse to eat me. And…I would never be able to kiss him while he was awake, would I?

As quickly as I had become overjoyed, I had become depressed. Coming to this realization…hurt. The knowledge came crashing down heavily on me. I felt my jaw tightened involuntarily against the choking misery. Knowing he would never love me…how could he? He's a vampire, centuries old. I'm a sixteen year-old girl who he probably finds more annoying than entertaining. The only way he'd love me was between his fangs.

I whimpered, trying desperately not to break down. I knew I was close; I was shaking and tears burned behind my eyes, so close to spilling down my face. I dug my nails into my palms in a last-ditch effort to keep myself from crying.

It didn't work.

A tear slid down the side of my face and became lost in his hair. I quickly turned my head, burying my face in the soft black fluff that had just engulfed the physical proof of my sorrow. I quietly cursed my hormones for screwing with my emotions in such an extreme. It didn't make me feel any better.

"Mmm…" Soon came his low hum as he woke up. I felt the reverberation of the sound in his chest. He turned on his side, curling his other arm around me. He held me against his chest as a suit materialized onto his formerly bare skin. Dammit. "My dear, while I'm not going to lie and tell you the scent of your grief doesn't hold a certain appeal; it's no way for you to wake up." His hand glided up my back to twirl a lock of my hair around his finger, release it, and come to a rest on the back of my neck.

What do I say to him? If he hasn't already read my mind, I'd rather not admit that I was this pathetic. I just kept quiet and bit down on my bottom lip.

"Pura," he murmured "if I didn't want you around, you wouldn't be. I'm well able to kill you, and the fact that I choose not to should tell you that you're worth something to me…"

Damn it he did read my mind! But he was right…maybe there was hope for me. I relaxed, cuddling against him, feeling much better almost immediately; his voice seemed to have the effect on me…was that a good thing or a bad thing?

He chuckled, tilting my head back gently by his grip on the back of my neck. He leaned in, the glow of his eyes seeming to get brighter as he neared my neck. His arms around me, keeping me still; the fact that I was completely trapped unsettled me. I'm not sure why, he usually had me bound up when he did this, why should it scare me now?

I forgot about all of that when his cold breath spread over my throat. I felt him move up my neck. The tip of his tongue touched my jaw line and traced halfway up my cheek; along the path of my tear. I gasped; my back arching involuntarily. He laughed that deep, rumbling laugh of his, and my nails dug into the silk lining of the coffin as the muscles in my hand (and entire body for that matter) tensed.

I didn't get it; he was drinking my tears, and probably enjoying it; a true demonstration of mercilessness…and I loved it. What the hell is wrong with me?!

Once he was evidently done with the taste of my anguish, he drew his tongue back in and moved back to my throat. His nose just barely touched my neck as he moved his head back and forth, inhaling.

"This, however, is a much better wake-up call…" He purred. "I trust it's an improvement for you as well?" He smirked; I could feel it against my skin.

"Yeah…" I whispered.

He chuckled, his grip loosening. "And at that; we both need to get up. We're moving out in about two hours."

He slid the coffin lid off, the candles outside already lit, almost certainly for my benefit. I noticed that although he pushed the lid aside soundlessly and with his fingertips, it tipped to the ground and hit the floor loudly; damn that thing was heavy…and he was terrifyingly strong.

He sat up and yawned, his fangs looking especially menacing in the flickering candlelight. He looked down at me with a grin, hearing my heart speed up.

He climbed out smoothly and I sat up, the 'I'm in a friggin coffin' feeling sinking in again. I wasn't exactly sure how to get out of this thing…coffins aren't generally made for getting out of.

He plucked me out of the coffin effortlessly with a chuckle.

He walked towards the door and turned back towards me before he phased through it.

"Are you coming?"

"Huh? Where are we going?" He said the mission was in like two hours…

"It's a male vampire; I'm going to get some breakfast. You should do the same."

Well as long as _I'm_ not breakfast… "Ah. Good idea." I followed him, and was halfway down the hallway when something hit me. I stopped, and stared after him with a 'wait, what?' look.

"Wait, what?!" I voiced my expression as he looked back at me: still standing in the middle of the hallway. "If it was a girl vampire…you'd…"

"Eat her? Probably, if I have the chance." He said, as if this was something I should have known. Jesus! My expression changed from questioning to horrified in an instant. He'd eat another vampire? And only if it was a girl?

"That's…okay that's just fucking creepy, Alucard."

He grinned evilly. "Oh yes, I know." He suddenly appeared right in front of me and leaned down, eyes and fangs gleaming terrifyingly; it paralyzed me. "Does that frighten you? That I'll happily devour my own kind?" I backed towards the wall; he followed my every step, looming over me. When I hit the wall, he placed his hands on it, arms on either side of my head…trapping me. "Or is it that I prefer females? Come now; it's not my fault that your kind's blood tastes so much sweeter." I cringed, turning my head to the side. He lowered his own head and I soon felt his lips press against the side of my neck. He continued, and I could feel his fangs graze my skin, so close to breaking through and spilling my blood. "When I say 'female', do you see yourself? If you were to see me drain a woman, would it bring back memories of your own…experiences? It shouldn't; there's a crucial difference between you and them:" He chuckled, accompanied by a wide grin; I could feel the outline of every fang. "I haven't met a vampire whose blood smelled nearly as appetizing as yours. And I don't think I ever will. No, my dear, you're one-of-a-kind as a human, demon, or whatever you are. It doesn't much matter to me; your blood is delicious regardless of the mysterious and perhaps almost extinct species you belong to." Fuck! He _is_ going to make me his breakfast!

I whimpered and pressed harder against the wall; trying in vain to get away. He just went along with me, if anything getting closer. "Do you think I'm going to eat you, little one? Do you believe I'm just going to wrench your head back and sink my fangs into your throat right here in this hallway without warning?"

Uh, yeah. Yeah I do. I couldn't speak, but trust me, if I was in any condition to do so, it would be sarcastically.

He laughed. "Oh no; if I'm about to bite you, you'll know it." The way he said that made my blood run cold. He noticed the spike in my heart rate. "Something wrong?" He whispered in a way that left me no choice but to answer.

"What are you planning…?"

"I'm not planning anything." He murmured, leaning away with a smirk. I didn't believe him. At all.

He moved away further, looking my frightened form over, that same infuriating yet impossible to resist smirk on his face. The smirk changed into a grin and he pulled his arms back to his sides.

Laughing, he turned and continued down the hallway. I hesitated, wondering what the fuck just happened. I wonder if he's this confusing to everyone, or it's just me. I caught up with him, looking up warily to try and figure him out. Any attempt at this has thus far proved useless, and I don't know why I thought it would work now. He just walked on, acting as if he didn't just scare the hell out of me.

Three minutes and a few 'Hey let's just melt through the friggin floor with no forewarning'-s later, we reached a kitchen. He motioned for me to go in, and proceeded to watch me put a waffle in the toaster. It was making me self-conscious, and freaking me out. That probably was his plan anyway.

I turned around, leaning on the counter and watched him take a packet of medical blood out of the fridge. I still haven't seen him drink blood (other than my own, but I think that's a little different). He caught me watching him, and I pretended to study the toaster. He laughed, not fooled.

"Curious, are you?"

"It's a possibility…" I felt awkward. On the other hand, I don't think Alucard knew what awkward meant…

"For your benefit I'll use a glass…" He grabbed a glass from the cabinet and poured the blood into it, though I didn't even see him cut the bag. He held the half empty bag in one hand and picked up the glass in the other. Unfortunately the glass was clear. I eyed the red liquid, thinking of V8 juice…which I will never drink in this house now.

The toaster popped and I looked away, picking up the waffle (and burning my hand). When I turned back, he was leaning on the counter, grinning, the bag and glass completely empty. Jesus, that was a lot of blood, and I only turned away for a second! How did I not die when he bit me?!

He chuckled and took another pouch out of the fridge. Note to self: do not store any pouch-contained drinks in the fridge.

I shook my head, giving up and concentrating on my waffle and jumping up to sit on the counter. He tucked the blood packet into some hidden pocket inside his coat and watched me gnaw on the waffle, bringing back the 'self-conscious' thing.

"Alucard, ya know that whole 'creepy' thing I mentioned earlier? Well you're doin' it again. In case you didn't know." I said sarcastically.

"Oh am I?" He asked, grinning wickedly.

"Yes." I looked away, trying to escape any paralyzing hypnosis.

He gave a low chuckle. "Eat your waffle." He commanded. I complied, hopping down off the counter afterwards.

"Well now what?" I asked; an hour and a half to go…

"Now you scurry off and get dressed. Wings out, please; you're going to need your ice. And try to mentally prepare yourself for the bloodshed."

"Alright…" I left, making my way back down to my room. How exactly does one prepare themselves for bloodshed? And what do I need my ice for; aren't I using a gun?

Upon reaching my room I brushed my teeth and got a shower, thinking in the back of my mind that I'm probably gonna want one when I get back too…

I put my pre-ripped shirt on over my wings; they made it for me to fly in. It had a large hole in the middle of my back and a little Hellsing emblem on the sleeve. I don't know if it's the best idea to advertise that I work for Hellsing, what with the murderous vampires everywhere who would love to get their hands(fangs, I mentally corrected) on Hellsing personnel.

Half an hour left…damn this was stressful…

I decided to lie on my bed, stare at the ceiling, and try to 'prepare' myself.

"Ready to go?" A voice spoke out from right next to me. I yelped and fell off the bed, noticing from the floor the vampire who had previously been lying next to me.

"Yeah…I guess…" No, I was not! I wanna stay here where it's relatively safe and zombie-free.

He put his hand out to me, looking at me over the edge of my bed. I took it, and he was instantly on his feet and tossing me onto his back.

"I can get there much faster than a car or helicopter." He explained. I don't know if I really wanna get there faster…

Shadows wrapped around me, securing me to his back. I smiled at the familiar feeling. "I kinda missed this…" I said quietly.

"So did I." He murmured back before taking off with that rushing feeling that I did not miss at all.

We passed through the floors rapidly, making me dizzy. He had jumped up to the roof, and once there he looked around, strolled leisurely to on edge and leapt off. I gasped and hid my eyes in his hair. I may be able to fly, but my wings were bound up, and crashing to the ground will indeed kill me. He began running, the wind making my hair tangle, but his stayed perfectly in place; other than the usual gentle waving that was now tickling my face and neck. That was always there, regardless of wind.

My arms were wrapped around his neck and I hugged him.

"Nervous, my dear?" He asked, looking back.

"Did you expect me not to be?" I peeked out of his hair at him.

"Of course not. But try to calm down; your fear will attract attention _you_ don't want."

"But you would love it?"

He just smiled, fangs flashing in the darkness.

After a while, he began to slow down. I looked out, to find we were in the woods, and though my eyes were already adjusted to the darkness, I still couldn't see very well.

His movements now turned into a stalk; he moved slowly and silently, sniffing at the air. He stopped.

"Here." He stated, setting me on the ground in the middle of a clearing. He turned and held out a gun. "Be careful; this one has a fairly powerful kick for you."

I didn't really hear him; I was too distracted by the smell of the air. It stank of blood and the repulsive scent of rotting meat; it was so strong I almost gagged. Flies buzzed deafeningly somewhere close.

I took the handgun and the two magazines he pulled out of his pocket and offered to me. "God, and you have such an acute sense of smell! How do you stand it?!" I tugged my shirt up to cover my nose.

"I enjoy the scent of blood. The rot; well, as a vampire you get used to it quickly." He replied, pulling my shirt back down. "And you'd do well to get used to it too. You can't fight like _that_." His head snapped up. "Ah, there's more…"

"What? More what?!" Please don't say ghouls. Please don't say ghouls. Please don't say ghouls.

"Ghouls."

"Son of a bitch!" I couldn't help yelling. He laughed quietly at my outburst.

He pulled out his gun and looked into the trees. "And here they come."

I heard the groaning that came straight from a zombie movie. I whimpered and took a step closer to him. I saw a shape stumble clumsily out of the trees, approaching slowly. I soon saw the graying flesh of the ghoul, a man. Its now sharpened teeth were a dull yellowing color and its eyes shone purple. A jagged bone stuck sickly out of its leg, the source of its pronounced limp. The ghoul's clothes were tattered, hanging off its body. I saw exposed ribs and a putrid, wet looking slop inside it where something had torn its midsection open. It got closer and I _heard_ the putrid, wet looking slop; a disgusting squishing noise. I wanted so badly to sink to my knees and throw up, but Alucard held me up.

"Shoot it. Hit its head or its heart; if its well aimed that gun can destroy it in one shot." The thing reached out, not close enough to reach me, but I suppose ghouls don't have the best depth perception. "It's not a person anymore, Pura." Well yeah, I could see that. It didn't even seem like it was once human; this thing was repulsive. So that wasn't the problem.

The problem was that I was in shock. I hadn't expected a ghoul to look so…_real_, I guess. I didn't think it would be so grotesque. And the _smell_ of this horrid thing. The wind had picked up. It was so bad it made my eyes burn and I could taste the bile rising in my throat.

I just stood there, frozen. The thing moved closer, moaning. Its outstretched hands were almost at my throat.

"KILL IT!" Alucard snarled. I jumped, raising my gun and shooting blindly at the ghoul that had been only inches from me. It howled deeply and leaned back, a large hole in its chest. It fell to the ground in front of us and was still.

I took a horrified breath and stepped backwards.

Alucard pushed me a step forwards. "Don't let them get so close." He hissed "Suppose that one had a gun! Shoot as soon as you see them or you'll become one of them!"

I squeaked fearfully at such a thought.

"Get ready, here comes another one."

He was right; a second monster came staggering out of the forest. This one was in about the same shape as the last; clothing in shreds, gray, rotting flesh.

"Shoot it now, Pura!" He yelled.

I pulled the trigger, noticing the kick this time. The ghoul's head exploded, and it was close enough for me to see the brain, riddled with the white grain-like specks that were maggots and so decomposed it seemed liquid, explode out of the bullet hole. Upon seeing this I gagged, wanting to puke. Alucard shook me by the grip on the back on my shirt.

"No. You can be sick later; now is the time for fighting."

The gun clattered slightly as my hand trembled. Moaning sounded from behind me and I spun around to find the ghoul far too close. I shrieked and pulled the trigger, missing a vital spot and hitting it in the stomach. Another sickening odor hit me as the thing lurched forward, its rotten fingertips grazing across my shirt. I screamed and shot again, hitting it in the head; black, clotted blood spattered across my face. I gasped, trying to suppress another attempt at throwing up.

That ghoul had gotten so close…it had _touched_ me…and Alucard didn't bat an eye! Well what the fuck was he even here for if he wasn't gonna help me?!

I began to hyperventilate, something I really didn't want to do; the air was so foul with the smell of decay my mind told me it had to be toxic. I moved closer to Alucard, against his side. Even if he wasn't going to help me, I felt a little better being closer to him. He looked down at me; I guess he felt me shaking.

"Kill them before they get that close…You're doing alright for your first mission, just keep them at a distance." He scanned the area quickly. "There.' He pointed to a spot in the trees; I couldn't see anything at first. I looked up at him and back at the spot. "Can't see it?" He murmured.

"No…"

His hand on my back, he led me forward a few steps. I suddenly saw the dull purple glow of the thing's eyes. It seemed too low to the ground…My eyes adjusted to the dark, and I saw what it was doing.

It had a severed human arm _in its mouth_.

"Oh, God…" I covered my mouth and took a step back.

The horrible thing looked up, fixing its gaze on me. It staggered to its feet, carrying the arm.

I yelped, shooting now before it could get any closer. I missed completely with the first shot but the second one blew a hole in its side.

"Not good enough…" I heard Alucard mutter.

I pulled the trigger again, but the gun only produced a clicking noise. I tried again in a panic, the ghoul still shambling forward, though at an even slower pace.

"Pura! Reload!" Alucard commanded.

I fumbled with the magazine, nearly dropping it before reloading the gun, the thing moving ever closer. With the third shot I felled the ghoul finally.

"H-how many more are there?"

"Four, I'd say…the vampire is lying low…it seems he's been told of me…" He grinned.

"Four…" I groaned. I can't take much more of this.

From the corner of my eye I saw movement. "Is that one?" I asked him.

He nodded, smirking.

I aimed the gun this time, pointing it between the eyes that were coming into view. I held my breath and shot it, hearing its re-dying moan as the creature fell. It wasn't so sickening when I couldn't really see the rotted beast.

I heard shuffling from behind me; too close behind me. I wheeled around, my wings brushing against Alucard, to find a ghoul reaching for my throat and about to succeed.

Alucard just stood there as a monster tried to tear my neck open. I jumped away from its clawing hands, only to be stopped by crashing into something unspeakably squishy behind me. I turned, looking at the bloody moaning thing that had snuck up on me. I shot it in a panic as I felt the other ghoul grab my wings and tug viciously on them; threatening to rip then right out of my back. I shrieked, unable to turn around well enough to hit it.

I felt its rotted fingers run through my hair, bare bone scraping against my neck.

"ALUCARD!" I screamed, begging him in a sickeningly familiar way.

The deafening sound of his gun rang out, the grip on my wings and in my hair going limp and falling away as the ghoul thumped to the ground.

"Never turn your back on them like that!" He shouted.

"S-sorry…"

Two more ghouls appeared at the edge of the clearing. I missed, using the rest of my magazine before killing them.

"Is that all of them?" God I hope so…

Alucard turned his head up, sniffing at the air.

"Yes...that's all of them. Now you stay here, I'll be right back." He took off, disappearing into the forest, leaving me in a state of high panic about being deserted.

A loud screeching pierced the air, causing me to yelp in surprise, jumping. Of course, because of the whole 'wings' deal, I leapt about ten feet into the air, my wings flicking reflexively. I crashed to the ground painfully. I opened my eyes to find the body of a ghoul right in front of my face.

Scrambling to my feet, I staggered off to the side, trying not to throw up.

I eventually got control of myself, just as Alucard's voice purred out of the shadows.

"Pura, it's me." At least he had the decency to warn me for once.

His footsteps, normally soundless, were now audible. As he got closer I noticed that it wasn't his footsteps, but that he was dragging something that was fighting against him. I squinted at him, not seeing the thing. Was it another ghoul…? It was person-shaped, but that didn't mean much.

He stood in front of me. "I got you something." He said with a smirk. He tossed the thing he was carrying in front of me and it groaned in pain.

This wasn't a ghoul. For one, it wasn't decomposed like they were. And it was actually registering pain…

Alucard reached out and took the gun out of my hand. "Kill him. Use your ice and pierce his heart."

I stepped back in alarm; this was the vampire.

"I've torn most of his organs out; he's not going to hurt you." Alucard stated as if this was something normal. The vampire writhed at my feet, his midsection an undistinguishable bloody mess.

Ice crawled slowly along my lower arm; hesitant in response to my emotions. The vampire turned over, looking up at me; blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth. He locked eyes with me; eyes full of pain and fear.

I couldn't kill him…he was too…I don't know, aware. The ghouls; they were just mindless, but him…I could see that he was once human…

"Kill him, Pura. He's the one who controlled the ghouls to attack you, and turned those pitiful humans into ghouls in the first place. He devoured eight humans, and would have done the same to you before you even knew he was near you. If that doesn't convince you, at least put him out of his misery. He can't heal himself, and will lie here until the vultures slowly work their way to his heart or until the sun rises in…six hours and slowly burns him to death. It'll make the blood he has left boil, Pura. Just kill him now and, though many would think he deserves that, he won't have to suffer through it."

The vampire coughed weakly, more blood spurting from his mouth.

I still balked, and Alucard frowned.

"Pura, either you or he will die before sunrise. And _he's_ not going to die by my hand." I took a step away from him and the other vampire. "Kill him soon, or I may just get to bite a female's neck tonight after all..." He moved towards me, looking me over hungrily.

I glanced down at the vampire, and back up to Alucard. I took a breath and, moving nervously out of Alucard's path, went to kneel by the vampire. I heard Alucard walk up behind me, watching.

I pushed the vampire onto his back, feeling sick again. I closed my eyes for a second, opening them and placing my razor-sharp ice-clawed fingertips over the spot where his heart would be.

Holding my breath, I drew my hand back and thrust it forward like I was taught, ripping through his chest. The vampire howled in pain, blood gushing from the wound. I whimpered looking away.

"Wrong side." Alucard growled from behind me.

"Oh God…"

"Finish him off! Now, Pura!"

I cried out and tore my hand trough the other side of his chest, almost blindly.

More blood rushed out of his chest, splashing on me. I yelped and jumped away as his body melted into dust and blew away on the wind.

I stayed there, shaking on my hands and knees, feeling intensely sick. I staggered back to my feet, and walked over to a tree, leaning on it.

I threw up, bitter acid burning my throat.

"You ass… why'd you tell me to eat breakfast…?" I moaned.

He chuckled, ignoring my question. "You did fairly well. Better than the soldiers usually do, but I'm willing to bet their training is quite different."

I whimpered, not really caring about the soldier's training right now. I leaned my head against the tree, and felt Alucard run his fingers gently through my hair.

"You'll be alright…don't worry. Now come on, Integra's waiting just outside of these woods for a report." He began leaving, choosing a path that avoided any of the ghoul's bodies. I followed him, thankful for this. I hid my wings back under my skin, in case there were police about.

We walked together out of the woods; vampire and human, predator and prey.

* * *

A/N: AH! SO MANY AMAZING THINGS HAPPENING FOR JEN!

1: OVA 4, SEPTEMBER 16, BITCHES! PRE-ORDER'D IN SPECIAL EDITION! Ooooh it's gonna be SO creepy…but perhaps I like it that way…don't we all?

2: PRE-ORDERED THE NINTH BOOK BITCHES! Nothing to do with anyone except those I'm going to lend it to…Marie, Avery, Caleb…Caleb…Caleb…oh, Marie, does Caleb want to read it?

3: CREATURE FEATURE EQUALS AWESOME!

4: WORKING ON GETTING NEW ALUCARD FIGURE! A figure I will place with the others, all overlooking my bed. He's got his guns crossed all bad-ass and I LOVES IT! There were other ones, but…you have to not only put them together, but paint them. Which I would fuck-up royally, and I just can't bring myself to fuck-up Alucard…like that…from painting…badly…I would not fuck-up Alucard by painting badly…is what I mean…MOVING ON-

So much Hellsing…so very, very much Hellsing…

AGH! HELLSING! CREATURE FEATURE! I HAVE COFFEE! IT'S 3 A.M.! I'M FREAKIN' OUT!

That's why this is a little late…distractions abound.

I'm not going to go into gun specifics because I know absolutely nothing on the subject. The only thing I can tell you is that the gun Pura used was far less powerful than Alucard's…that friggin hand-cannon would break her wrist. And the ending to the chapter feels a little abrupt to me, but that's probably just because it's 5:34 A.M. and this is actually the last thing that I'm typing. The movie report and the next B/N and A/N were written before this; I'm just wedging this in where it fits.

**Saturday movie report**:

HA! This movie's called 'Ghouls'…you know what that means.

ZMOOOOOOBIIIIIEEEES!

AHAHA! JAZZ-HANDS! No, really…they're doin' jazz-hands!

That is not that girl's father. Who the baby daddy? Did he just say 'Uncle Vlad'?! ARE WE TAKING A TRIP TO ROMANIA?! This movie's called 'Ghouls'…Vlad (DraculaAlucard) …I call copyright infringement! Due to 'sucky movie', HELLSING WINS COPYRIGHT BATTLE! Yaaaay. I, um…don't think this movie has anything to do with Dracula actually. OH IT _IS_ IN ROMANIA! JEN WINS! JEN WIIINS!

How does one grenade explode five times?

Um, that girl's Asian and her mother and father are both white…I'm not being racist; I just think that's the director's cousin. Oh, don't be such a friggin' brat; for God's sakes you're in Romania- it's cool there. Stop bitching about 'no Starbucks' you little whore.

Of course there's a 'Radu' there… _This movie's not even about vampires_...CAN YOU STEREOTYPE ROMANIA A LITTLE MORE PLEASE?! Don't argue with me; we all agree Romania wins. But evidently they all speak fluent English to each other in Romania…

STOP BITCHING! You're related to Romanians named 'Vlad' and 'Radu'. An actor or not, no one in their right mind would bitch about that. NO ONE! Especially you people. Yes you; the readers. I know _I_ wouldn't bitch about that. That'd be a 'FUCK YEAH!' situation.

…This is a movie that would piss Alucard off.

But it's been a good week. An awesome week. I may just have to dance around. Here I go; wheee!

B/N: I dunno if Caleb wants it, but if he doesn't, we'll have him lend it to Caleb. They live nearby, don't they?

Jen: Fucking, Leonard, no one likes you. You can go blow a goat.

Marie: Jen! Don't say that! He's allergic to goat dick!

Jen: He's blind; he's not allergic to anything.

Just another day of Jen playing Drakengard and me watching.

If anyone lives in Pennsylvania, they should come hang out with us for a day. We're fun.

Jen: What kind of gay sword is that?

Marie: a REALLY gay one, it's shaped like a penis.

(Laughter)

Jen: HA HA, SMUG CHUCKLE.

Jen: Dude shut up, you don't have any hair.

Marie: YEAH YOU BIG BALD DOUCHE

Jen: As opposed to those hairy douches.

Soon, Jen and I are going to set up a deviant art account, so you can see some of those really pretty pictures we've mentioned, and my Hellsing comics.

A/N2: Yeah, we should sell tickets to hang with us. We're damn entertaining people.

We should get a scanner…really. Photos won't do them justice. I mean, you won't be able to see the subtle expressions of everyone, the council especially.

Council member 1: 'I hate you, and your mother is fat.'

Council member 2: 'Horribly obese.'

Council member 3: 'Taco…'

Oh hey- I just saw the new 'Hellboy'- awesome. With the Pan's Labyrinth guy doing the monsters? Amazing.

Ya know, the new 'Batman' movie has pretty much now turned into homage to Heath Ledger. I mean, it's such a shame about him, but you know there won't be a single bad review about the movie now.

Oooh look 'The Brothers Grimm' is on! I actually love that movie! It's so FREAKY! Especially that horse…THAT FUCKING HORSE! IT HAUNTS ME! AAAAGGGHHH! You guys know the horse I'm talkin' about right? Well, if you've seen that movie you do…I dunno why, but it just freaks me right the fuck out.

Hm…cable doesn't bleep out German or French curses…Merde and Schweisse…both mean the same thing, if you weren't aware. Which is 'Shit'.

Oh, and longest chapter ever. Without author notes. Word count, bitches. 5,230 in the chapter itself. With the notes? 6,894. Bam. I dunno, it just makes me feel like I've accomplished something.

B/N2: Jen: Apparently, the Cutty Black Sow was a man with the face of a pig.

Marie: Well, isn't that what you are?

Jen, you've never accomplished anything worthwhile to society. You're just like Jimmie: Your greatest weapon is your own ineptitude.

Jon made that up. I take no credit from dear Jon Pon.


	37. Donation

* * *

A/N: Hey! Multi-tasking! Heh, you'll get why later. Oh God my multitasking scares me.

MMkay.

Eagle's doing great…outside, eating whole rats (yeah they're already dead...)…

Possums are adorable…until they give you a '90 degree mouth open to expose horrible shark teeth'.

Ha…I played this freaky game and now I just got scared walking through my house in the dark…

Marie sucks ass at Drakengard. A lot.

Marie: Well, Inuart has to take his pants off and give Caim a lapdance, and then his excuse will be 'Oh I thought you were Furiae' and Caim will be like 'Does Furiae have a penis?!' and Furiae will be like 'Well…'

So Caim grows a moustache so it doesn't happen again but secretly he liked it…

Marie as Inuart: I can't do anything right! I can't protect you, I can't COOK!

Marie as Furiae: You can play music!

Marie as Inuart: Fuck music! I want _sca-rambled eggs_!

**Drakengard message**: _you cannot go any further this way._

Jen: Marie, you can't go any further that way.

Marie: Thank you…

Jen: What would you do without me?

Marie: I wouldn't do _anything_ without you. I'd just sit on the couch and shit myself, _all day._

* * *

When we got home, Alucard took me directly to my room. I had been clinging to his back as he ran; crying silently into the back collar of his coat. I just _killed_ someone…

He set me down on my bed. I pulled my knees up to my chest and rested my forehead on them. "Do you want me to come back…?" He asked quietly. I knew he meant after I got a shower.

I nodded. He disappeared through the wall without a sound.

I didn't move; I just stared at the blanket, trying to blank out my mind.

After a few minutes I got up and walked into the bathroom. My stomach heaved, and I thought I was about to throw up again. I didn't. But I do have to rinse out my mouth.

I looked into the mirror that hung over the sink and gasped. Blood was spattered all over my face. I turned away, making a horrified and disgusted noise. I set the shower onto a high temperature; the steam fogging up the mirror quickly.

The water was a little too hot to feel comfortable, and that was fine with me. It helped me forget when I had just done. I scrubbed my face hard, the soap stinging my eyes. I rubbed the rest of my skin raw, trying to get the filth of death off myself. I almost bled trying to cleanse my wings where I had jumped into that disgusting creature.

Even after I had made sure that I will smell like that soap for the next three days, I still stayed under the painfully hot water for a long time.

When I finally stepped out, realization attacked me once again.

I had _killed_ a sentient being. One that was already put through disembowelment at that. Am I a…monster? Something evil?

With a towel wrapped around myself and my wings hidden, I walked out of the bathroom.

"Mister Fishy? I'm not a monster am I...?" My fish would always stick with me…

The colorful betta fish swam in circles. Somehow, the little fish calmed me down…I got him when I first moved here over a year ago. Though the awareness of a fish can be debated, I liked to think he was friends with me, and didn't care what I was. And now that I barely saw Jackie or my other friends anymore, I needed all the companionship I could get. He was also the only one here who hadn't…

I pushed that thought away…it never helped any situation.

'_Psh, you're not a monster, Pura.' _I imagined he would say _'And you never will be. Now feed me, bitch.'_ I have quite the verbally abusing fish.

I really have to stop holding conversations in my mind with a fish. Nevertheless, I sprinkled some betta food into the bowl.

I laughed at the fish's eager attack on the food. I put a comfortable outfit on and flopped on my bed. I stared at my ceiling, which was overall uninteresting. Soon I felt the bed dip down next to me.

"You feel better." It was an observation, rather than a question.

I sat up at the sound of his voice. "How do you know?"

His arms were around me in an instant. He leaned down just as fast, forcing me to lie back down. His body was pressing against mine, keeping me still. He turned his head to the side and his cold breath soon spread across my exposed neck.

"How do I know? My dear, I can smell it. Your anxiety has lessened…and the scent of that shampoo compliments your blood nicely…" He whispered.

I shivered as his cool fingertips traced along my spine. Well, if I didn't before, _now_ I feel better…even though I think he's just hungry…

"You _still_ want to eat me?" I asked, half playful, half morbidly curious.

He laughed deeply. "Of course…" He purred, drawing out the 's' a little and returning my half playful tone. "You don't understand how very irresistible you smell and taste, little one…" He grinned against my throat. "Did you think I've gotten used to your scent? I don't blame you, that'd be the logical thing to go to…but it seems the longer I'm around you, the more appealing you become…odd, isn't it?" He chuckled again; shifting his body to put more pressure on mine, moving his face back and forth across my neck.

I tensed; was he going to bite me?

His hand moved smoothly to wrap around the back of my neck. "Your fear…" he murmured "it's so tempting…" He opened his mouth…I felt the points of the longer canine fangs lightly touch my neck. My heart raced, adrenaline giving me a 'roller-coaster-y sudden fall' feeling in my stomach. But I couldn't move, even if he hadn't been keeping me still.

The sharp pressure of the two top fangs stopped suddenly, a stinging pain replacing it. I felt his tongue, icy and slick, immediately glide over the shallow puncture wounds; eager. He made a noise, sort of a surprised gasp, but a little more…hungry; I could almost see his pupils change into reptilian slits, surrounded by glowing blood-red irises. His fingers tightened around my neck and cold shadows wrapped around me, ensuring my stillness.

His fangs sunk a little deeper into my neck, but still only the top ones. I whimpered as he began the draw the blood out instead of just lapping at it.

His voice echoed in my mind. "_Relax…I won't hurt you, I promise…I just want a little drink…"_ His tone dropped into a growl as he said 'drink'.

But he _was_ being pretty gentle…if one could even think of piercing the throat of a currently defenseless girl and draining her blood as 'gentle'.

Would this satisfy him, or just make him want to kill me more…?

I began to feel lightheaded…he was taking too much…

I struggled a little, ineffectively. His hold tightened, but otherwise he paid me no mind. He just continued to drink from me. Could he tell how much blood he was taking? He knew how much I could live without, right?

My muscles went limp and I felt tired, wanting to sleep. I closed my eyes, fighting to keep my awareness.

"Mmm…" he hummed, his fangs finally slipping out of my neck. He ran his tongue over the wounds, closing them up. I felt him move to lean over me, his hair tickling my face. "You'll be alright. You were just tired to begin with." He whispered into my ear, his cold breath making me shiver, using up the little energy I had left. Hey, not only did I just kill a vampire and several ghouls, but someone just drained my blood; I'm tired, damn it! "Goodnight, Pura." He chuckled as my consciousness slipped away.

* * *

I woke up from a dreamless sleep, my neck hurting a little. Someone had covered me with my blankets…it wasn't too hard to figure out who that could have been.

That bastard! He just randomly decided to bite me!

I sat up, looking around in annoyance. I noticed something sitting on my nightstand…

Really?

A juice box and a cookie. Ha. You're funny, Alucard; as if I had donated blood. It was hardly a willing donation.

Goddamn it I hate you so much you freaking vampire!

I threw off the blankets, turning and placing my feet on the floor; the room immediately began spinning and I fell back on my bed with a sickened groan.

I curled up, thinking maybe the smaller I made myself the less the room would be tossed around. I whimpered, feeling overly helpless. I soon felt a back of a cold hand run gently down the side of my face.

"Go away…" I moaned, not wanting to put up with the one who caused this hell, but secretly liking how…affectionate his touch felt to me. I knew it was only in my head, but I can dream, can't I?

"I know you don't really mean that." He purred and lied down next to me. "I also know that part of you liked how 'kindly' I took your blood…"

Damn! How do I keep him out of my friggin' mind?! "That doesn't mean I want you helping yourself to my neck at random." I growled back.

He chuckled. "Of course not. And I _am_ sorry I sprung this on you…"

I opened one eye and glared at him. "I don't think you are."

He grinned. "Maybe not…"

I exhaled angrily and buried my face in the pillow.

His arm slid around my shoulders and pulled me close to him. "It wasn't my intention to take so much blood from you…" He said quietly, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "Your scent had been driving me mad for some time. Then your thoughts jumped to your fear of being bitten again, complete with visuals…it was overwhelming and caught me off-guard. It won't happen again." A smirk crept back into his voice. "Unless you want it to, of course."

I laughed. "Well that depends on how nice you are to me, doesn't it?" I looked out of the pillow.

He grinned "Or perhaps it depends on whether I can _control_ myself. I might just slip up and confuse a certain little smart-ass with a snack."

A shiver of fear went through me; he was just joking, but really, he could decide to eat me at any time...I'm lucky he wasn't hungrier when he drank my blood before.

"Now that I've ascertained a blood transfusion won't be necessary, you should go back to sleep. You're dizzy, which means your blood's still a little low for you. When you wake up, just eat something and you'll be fine."

"I'm too dizzy to sleep…"

He tilted my head up to look at him, and I was soon lost in his glowing eyes; fiery orange and red, swirling with madness and bloodlust, but irresistibly beautiful.

* * *

A/N: Honestly, I didn't see him biting her again coming…it sort of popped into my mind like some sort of youtube screamer video. It wasn't planned, but I think it worked out well. But I'm sorry this was so short for such a long time. I'm done multitasking. Though, now future cliffhanger-laden chapters will be out WAY sooner. I was just feeling a little…cliff-hanger-y. And I've written the continuations for the cliffys, so don't worry about that.

But…a _really_ nice image was brought to my attention. And I'd thought I'd share it with all but one of you...ok, just think…a shirtless Alucard…Doing pushups.

AGH! Yes. Wnat! That's not a typo, that's a Hellsing-themed inside joke way of saying 'want'.

I'm not sayin who suggested this, but you know who you are. A shout out to one a' mah peeps.

If the rest of you want shout outs, you're gonna have to share a lovely image such as that with the class.

**Saturday Movie Report**: These things are basically giant spoilers. So, ya know…read at your own risk.

I caught the ending of Saw II…eh.

Ohhh what's this? Called 'Rest Stop'…hmm…by the looks of it…cannibal hillbillies perhaps?

AW BITCH GOT KILLED! RIGHT OFF THE BAT! HA!

Two teens, running away together? If they have vehicular sex, they are DEAD. If not, the girl lives. Vehicular make-out…does that count?

OH! THEY DOIN' IT! THEY'RE GONNA DIIIIIIIEEEE! AHAHAHAHA!

Oh and she's a bitch…she's gonna die twice for that. And she looks about 30 (the guy's like 19) and like Michael Jackson...

Ah wow, is the guy already dead? Aw I kinda wanted him to live…he wasn't a dick like this chick has.

Oh yeah, murderin' hillbillies.

Who has time to carve a message into a bathroom wall while they're being killed? It's like Monty Python- "The castle of…aaaggghhhhhhhhh. He must have died while carving it."

Oh my dear sweet God, this woman's hairstyle makes me want to kill her myself…whenever she turns her head its like….I don't know what its like but it's pissing me off.

Are these sarcastic remarks she keeps spitting out unprofessionally supposed to be funny? Because so far it's just been painful.

Yeah, get drunk. You'll live then. Dumbass.

Of course's he's dead you stupid bitch! Um, how bout you get the hell out of the car you idiot?

Oh stop screaming, it's only like ten minutes into the movie, stop bitching. GET OUT OF THE ROAD! HE WILL RUN YOU OVER YOU STUPID WHORE!

Psh, they not helping you…they like the Leatherface family, they're gonna take you to the killer. Duh.

WHOA! MUTANT HILLBILLY! Ew, inbreeding maybe? Ok, I see Texas Chainsaw, Wrong Who is she taking to? She is alone.

Oh yup, torture porn. Not done particularly well, but still. Bitch stop crying, you look even more hideous when you do so.

Hmm…I think it's the mutant kid. Put my bid in now when this other chick is puking blood or…whatever that is.

This movie sucks. It sucks balls.

The cop is going to die. Whenever a cop shows up- dead. Oh no, is he black? Oh man, a victim of racist horror movie guidelines. The one minority always dies. ALWAYS. Oh, yup. Runned over. Sorry, that's a spoiler. Oh well, I don't think you should watch this anyway, due to the aforementioned ball-sucking.

Isn't a movie supposed to make you connect to the main character? Because I'm only feeling sorry for the cop so far…man, whenever they're dying and start talking about their little kid and wife…it hits me, ya know?

THIS CAMERAMAN SHOULD BE FIRED!

Ew he bit her finger off. I call 'The Hills Have Eyes' on that one. Copyright battle! Hills wins due to sucky movie.

Oh god bitch, stop crying! You knew your boyfriend was dead a movie-hour ago, LET IT GO!

Saw that comin…it was her boyfriend she bashed over the head. Haha! Stupid bitch. Ew his lips got sewn shut…

What, we don't even see who it was?! BULL SHIT!

Alright, I want those two hours of my life back.


	38. Mister Fishy

A/N: Sorry, the last chapter was supposed to be this too…but it was just taking too friggin' long

A/N: Sorry, the last chapter was supposed to be this too…but it was just taking too friggin' long. Prolly 'cause I was distracted. And, to be honest, I just wanted to go to bed.

This chapter wouldn't fit with the last one either.

I got me some new gloves. They're lace-up fishnet fingerless black ones. Mrs. Lovett-esque, I'd say.

We should have a 'dear sweet God that's a sexy image' contest...

TiffaPure shares a LOVELY thought with us all. Two of 'em Check the 'reviews' page….cause it's nice. Clusterlizard also gives us (almost) free Alucard handcuffs, and an Alucard! Hurrah!

There are your shout-outs. Congrats.

Here an errant thought: I wish I knew how to play the harp. It seems so friggin' cool.

Do you know what's on tv right now…? A man is on his hands and knees, gnawing on a dead and rotting zebra. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH BEAR GRYILLS!? Did I spell that right? Doesn't matter. He just ate a zebra.

YAY! Now I can upload my videos of cute, screechy little owls to photobucket. And the eagle. And Indiana the Kestrel chirping like the adorable little hell-beast that he is.

I got bitten by a possum today. It hurt. I took a video of him biting the glove. It's on photobucket and youtube. Whee.

OW! I…keep biting my lip in the EXACT SAME PLACE. And I keep bleeding. It hurts like a bitch, you guys…

I has animal crackers.

I finally got a nice ringtone. Someone call me.

Oh…oh no. MY BETA'S ON VACATION! NOOOOOOOOOOO!

Ah! So many people are giving me advertising in their author's notes! It makes me feel bad…so, here you go guys. No really, I feel awful with such support from you and nothing from me. To those of you not addressed, go read these stories, listed in order of mention of me... They're really good...would I lie to you? Don't answer that.

xZeePoisonousOnex (Beth)'s story 'Twisted Blood'. It's kickass. And Beth is awesome in a can.

Epically Poet's (oh God I don't know your name! Shit!) 'A bene placio'. It too, is kickass. And I guarantee that I spelled it wrong the first time. It's 2:30 in the morning! GET OFF MY BACK!

B/N: I am back from the beach. I am very tan. We're going to the hick-fair tonight. I'm disappointed.

But seriously, Jennifer Pothering Christ, Avery said the only way I could go to the fair with you guys is if I didn't make fun of anyone. So I decided I'd be invited to the fair through you so I can still make fun of people with you.

* * *

I opened my eyes, not remembering falling asleep. I definitely felt better, and accepted the cookie still on my bedside table.

I realized I had no idea how long I had been asleep. I checked the clock; 9:00…at night?! We got home at _five in the morning_! I had been out for seventeen hours?! Jesus!

I guess blood loss plus hypnosis causes a friggin' coma.

I got up, changed my clothes and walked out into the deserted labyrinth-like hallways. I set out to look for Alucard, figuring he had to be up by now. But first I went to the kitchen and made some toast.

I continued my search, wandering around the ominous basement-dungeon. The sheer darkness of this place never failed at unsettling me. I constantly imagined something waiting for me around the next corner. Which is odd considering I was looking for a monster far deadlier than I could ever fathom.

I began to hear footsteps behind me. Footsteps that matched mine; stopping and moving with me. I turned around quickly, but being met with nothingness. I continued on, telling myself I was imagining it.

They started again, softer this time. Stalking.

I whipped around again, nervous. "Alucard…?" I got no answer. It was either him, or something else had gotten in the mansion.

Even if it was him, what if he was really hunting me? What if that short drink of my blood just made him want more? No doubt he'd be happy to drain me, and it would be a simple thing for him to do. Maybe he was getting annoyed with the many times he tasted my blood, but I was still alive…he might see me as a mission he never fulfilled, and now was the time to complete it. I don't know how he thinks; he's freaking crazy. Maybe I should stop looking for Alucard and start looking for witnesses…

I quickened my pace, listening closely to the footsteps that I now knew to be real. They didn't keep up with me this time, continuing their slow, soft, stalking stride. Despite this, they kept getting louder, closer.

Ghostly fingertips brushed the side of my neck. I yelped and spun around, heart crashing wildly.

Nothing.

I was getting scared now.

My walking verged on a jog as a soft growl sounded from behind me.

Powerful clawed hands grabbed my shoulders from behind me, yanking me backwards. I screeched, and something roared viciously next to my head, next to my neck. I caught the scent of rotting meat on this creature's breath; this was not Alucard. I saw shining jagged fangs sticking out from a dog-like muzzle, as the thing snarled into my ear.

I screamed piercingly and tore away from it, sprinting down the hall. I expected the thing to pounce, biting down on my shoulder and neck at the same time, ripping me to pieces.

I dashed into the first room (it was the last and only door in the hall) I came across; one of the several rooms with one of Alucard's tall-backed chairs in it. Alucard lounged in the chair, his hat askew on his head. He stared at me with a smirk. I stared at him with eyes huge and wild with fear, panting from my sprint.

"Good evening. You were asleep so long I thought you might have died." Well that's your fault, isn't it, jackass?

"Something just tried to eat me, Alucard!" I was too scared to be subtle.

"Oh did it now?" He got up. "Well let's go see what it is, shall we?" he grabbed my arm, pulling me along with him. He looked out of the door. "I don't see anything…" He glanced down at me, eyebrows raised.

"There…was…" I insisted halfheartedly.

"Maybe we just have to lure it out?" He tossed me back out into the hall, my eyes wide with shock and fear. He closed the door quickly, locking it and laughing.

"Alucard!" I yelled, pounding on the door in a panic. He didn't open it.

I gave up reluctantly and looked up and down the hallway, seeing nothing.

Low growling echoed through the corridor, bouncing off the cold stone and making it impossible to tell how far away the thing was.

"Alucard, this isn't funny!" I shouted at the door. No answer from within.

I backed up, coming to a dead end in seconds. I listened closely…I couldn't hear anything. Did it go away…?

A cold, furry, snarling thing slammed against me, sending me crashing to the floor. Its huge paws pinned me to the cool stone, and it was too dark to see the monster clearly.

Then it tilted its head down; I saw eight red eyes staring at me. I glared back at them, and the dog grinned.

"Get off me you ass!" I yelled, shoving the monstrous dog. Surprisingly, it fell off me. The thing melted into black shadows and re-formed into the annoying vampire I now knew it to be.

Alucard laughed. "When will you stop falling for that?" He asked, sitting on the floor.

I wish so badly I had something to throw at him…

I got up with an angry scoff and stormed off. I heard him chuckling behind me, but I forced myself not to look back. I reached my room, and slammed the door behind me.

It was fine if he scared me slightly by just sniffing at my neck. I can't deny that I like it in some twisted way. But when he does shit like this…Goddamn it pisses me off!

I looked to my fish for consolation. "Mister Fishy why does Alucard have to be such an-" I froze; Mister Fishy was at the top of the bowl, belly-up. "Mi-Mister Fishy…?"

No…not my little fish! He's the only one I can tell everything to! He's a neutral party who knows everything about me! I had to hide personal details from everyone here and I had to hide here from my other friends. But Mister Fishy knew everything…I could trust him not to attack me or talk about secret organizations.

I stared at the fishbowl. One could say I was overreacting. But chances are that one didn't have as much to hide as I did.

"Are you really that upset about me scaring you? Come now, I wasn't really going to hurt you…" Alucard's voice echoed from behind me as he phased through the wall. "Pura?" he asked when I didn't turn around.

He moved closer and put one hand on my shoulder. "What's-...? Oh. Don't be sad, these things don't have the longest life spans you know. I was surprised it lived so long to begin with."

I picked up the bowl, ignoring him and walking out of my room.

"You going to flush it?" He asked, following me.

"I'm going to bury him."

"It's a fish…"

"He's _my_ fish."

Alucard chuckled. "Humans; such odd creatures."

An idea suddenly hit me. I turned around and set the bowl back in my room, and dashed off to get a small clear plastic baggie. Alucard followed me the whole way. I scooped poor little Mister Fishy out of the bowl and put him in the bag.

"What are you up to now?"

I hesitated "Can you take me to a huge lake somewhere?"

Alucard threw his head back and laughed. "A miniature burial at sea for him? Why not?"

Was he going to help me or not? "Stay." He commanded and disappeared.

I'm not a friggin' dog.

I set the bag on the dresser next to the depressingly empty fish bowl, sat on my bed, and waited. I waited for him for half an hour. Screw this I'll just go find a damn lake on my own. He would probably just make fun of me the entire time anyway.

Arms wrapped around me and pulled me backwards.

"Come on." He whispered into my ear. He picked me up and I grabbed Mister Fishy's temporary coffin as he strolled out and threw me onto his back.

"Where are we going?"

"Well that would be a surprise." He purred, leaping through the floors.

I closed my eyes, nuzzling against him as he ran, thankful for what he was doing for me. Jackass or not, he was being nice.

Wait…'nice'…? Was this just a ploy to make me let him drink my blood? Probably…

He stopped after a while and let me down. I walked aside of him and gasped.

A lake, fringed by thick forest, stretched out father than I could see. A small, forgotten dock poked out into the lake in front of us. Moonlight shimmered on the lightly waving water, illuminating ducks and swans sleeping peacefully on the shore. An occasional bat dipped down gracefully and nipped at the water spiders dancing patternlessly on the surface.  
I walked out onto the dock, as Alucard stayed where he was, watching me. I kneeled at the edge, looking over into the black water. I slipped Mister Fishy out of the bag and held him.

"Bye, Mister Fishy…" I whispered quietly. I didn't care if Alucard heard or not. After two years of constant unwavering companionship held by only one creature, one tends to get attached to things.

I stood and gently tossed him underhand into the lake. I heard a muted 'plunk' and nothing more.

I put the bag in my pocket; littering in this virtually untouched place is just wrong.

Alucard hadn't moved the entire time. I walked back to him and he put his hand out to me. He pulled me onto his back and I leaned my head on his shoulder as cold shadows bound me to him.

"Thank you…" I said. He looked back and chuckled almost inaudibly.

"It was no problem." He put the back of his cold hand on the side of my neck, and I shivered. "You're so strange…it's fascinating. You put so much importance in a tiny creature; you speak to it, and are genuinely sad when it dies, even though you were well aware its lifespan was short..." He looked away and took off.

* * *

Three days later, I was lying in the grass, just in the shade of a large tree. The yard was unusually quiet today; normally at this time the soldiers were practicing and causing a hideous racket.

But today…it was nice. I closed my eyes, relaxing. My internal clock had gotten all screwed up lately, and I was probably going to go to bed in about two hours.

Something heavy was soon rested without warning on my stomach. I yelped and sat up, the thing falling into my lap.

A colossal black dog lay sprawled next to me on the lawn, its head now resting in my lap. His eight red eyes looked up with the sad longing that only a dog can master. This was obviously Alucard, but something was different about the hellhound…it looked less like a horrible monster…it was…cute. It was bigger than a mastiff, but it was cute.

I laid back down. "Hey Alucard." I mumbled as the dog moved to lean against me and sniff at my neck. "Whatcha up to?" I looked at him. The dog opened his mouth to pant, giving a dog-grin made of far more teeth than any other canine. He blinked all of those eight eyes in unison, and stared at me. "What?"

He rolled over onto his back, bringing his front paws up and kicking his back legs playfully.

Was _Alucard _seriously asking me for a belly rub…? I sat up, unbelieving.

I'll play along, if only because the whole 'dog' thing was so convincing…but if I lose a finger I am never speaking to him again. NEVER!

I scratched the dog's chest and its tail thumped on the ground. I drew back, laughing. "Seriously, what are you getting at?"

The dog rolled back over and tilted its head at me. Alucard's voice echoed from nowhere. "_I thought you wanted a new pet?"_

"Anything to get at my blood, huh?"

The huge pitch-black creature gave a dog-grin. "_You catch on quick. And absurd as it must sound to you, that _does_ feel good."_

"Just cause you're not trying to eat me this one time doesn't mean I'll let you gnaw on my throat, you know."

"_If it was easy to get you to agree, it wouldn't be nearly as fun."_

The dog rested his head on my lap again, and I scratched behind his ears. His fur was insanely soft, and oddly cold. The dog's eyes closed, a low, content growl rumbling in his throat. I smiled; I always wanted a dog…but they were just too difficult for me to take care of. I often had to move because of my wings, and owning a dog would have gotten expensive with vet bills and food. I could avoid the latter with a smaller dog, but I always liked huge dogs. Ones that looked like they would eat you, but were really the sweetest creatures you could find.

The dog's long bushy tail thumped once more on the ground, and I forgot who I was dealing with, and that led me to bad places.

"Who's a good boy? You are, yes you are! Oh, you're such a fuzzy little good boy! Who's my little Alucar-OH MY GOD!" I shrieked, jumping back at the end, his name making me remember what this dog really was.

Oh God…I just baby-talked to the most powerful and attractive vampire I would ever come across…if I didn't die of embarrassment, he'd eat me.

The dog melted into blackness and materialized back into Alucard, who was lying on the grass and laughing hysterically, which sounded scary.

I looked away, wishing I was dead.

"I honestly can't think of any other creature that can tear out a vampire's heart, and a few days later, do _that._" He said from behind me, still laughing.

I got up and walked quickly to my room, staying there, curled up on my bed in a state of utter mortification until Alucard's arms wrapped suddenly around me.

"Don't feel so bad…I rather like those little surfacings of innocence that you exhibit..." He chuckled "As long as you can still be vicious, there's really no problem with it."

"For you, maybe…" I muttered.

"I don't think any less of you, little one." he insisted. That was probably a lie. "I'm curious though; what kind of pet _would_ you like?"

"Integra would never let me have anything larger than a single fish…"

"Humor me." He urged.

"Alright…" I said, giving in. "I dunno…a snake, maybe…but I can't imagine putting mice in the cage…ferrets are cute…chinchillas are adorable…or an iguana… rabbits are good pets…or hamsters…I like cats, too."

"No cats." Alucard interrupted.

"Yeah I could kinda tell you weren't really a 'cat' person…"

He laughed. "A snake though? Really? I though little human girls hated snakes. As do most humans, actually."

"I like them…and I'm not a 'little girl'."

"Pura, I'm over thirty-five times older than you are. I've been a prince. I've traveled the world several times over and even ruled it for a while. You're a little girl."

I didn't say anything, trying to wrap my mind around what he had just said. He wasn't lying; he rarely did so.

He laughed quietly at my amazement. "It seems every day I find something new that makes you fall utterly silent." His hand, previously resting on my neck, moved down to lie over my heart. "Well…almost silent…" He murmured his words nearly inaudibly to me.

His hand moved back to my neck and his thumb traced along the artery. It tickled.

His thumb pressed against my jaw, forcing my head up. He leaned over me, the cold breath on my neck making me shiver. It also made me worry…

"I won't bite you…" He assured in a whisper.

I felt his nose lightly graze along (what I guess was) my jugular.

"Mmm…" Came his deep hum as he moved across my shoulder, still following the vein.

He followed the blood vessel down my arm. His cool fingers curled around my lower arm, bringing it up to his face. He lightly licked my wrist, making me gasp and jump slightly.

He chuckled and released my arm. "Scared, little one?" He asked, wrapping one arm around my middle and drawing me closer.

"No."

"Liar." He accused, not at all harshly. He was right.

I turned over in his loose hold to nuzzle into the front of his coat. As if on cue the lights went out in my room.

Alucard began humming, his chest reverberating with the deep sound. I knew my consciousness was slipping away, but I didn't care. I could never be absolutely certain that, if I fell asleep near him, I would wake up again. I soon forgot that, as his hold tightened to press me comfortably to his chest and he rested his chin on my head. Sometimes I hated my inability to resist him, but right now it felt…perfect.

I fell asleep in a monster's hold, just as he was flipping the blankets over me.

* * *

A/N: A mastiff is a huge friggin dog. My parent's friends have one, named 'Mongie'. His shoulder comes up to my elbow, but he is such a baby…I wish I had one…

Look, I have no idea as to the exact age of Alucard, but I'm guessing it's in the late-500s. He looks pretty good for his age…and by 'pretty good' I mean 'sex incarnate'.

**Saturday movie report. **

So, you're telling me that 'Anaconda' one and two were both such excellent movies that the need to make a third one arose?

Well this thing better eat people…not like that last dumbass snake movie…

I notice most sucky horror movies start out the same way; guys walking through the woods. Usually, they die. Oh a'yup. Half his face just got 'et. That guy's arm is bitten off…

Ooohh a secret lab? Oh Rly?

He just mispronounced 'PETA' and 'status'. What a dick.

So…are they telling us snakes live forever…? What the eff?

The 60-foot snake is getting out. But he says don't sedate it. So hell, let it go.

IT JUST IMPALED HIM! BAMF SNAKE!

That's not how snakes eat. They don't have fangs for slicing, they have fangs for holding. Dumbassery. The snake cut the power. And took out all the security guards. Did they even research snakes to make this movie…? That might be a good thing to do, considering the movie's called 'Anaconda'…

Alright that's a little better; it's constricting him. But that doesn't change the fact that- oh it only bit off his head. Is the snake a picky eater?

POACHERS! KILL THEM ALL! (To be yelled OVA 3 style)

Ew he's got a sleazy porn-star moustache. That's just what it's called. Or pedophile moustache, but there's a better moustache for that.

We need a flashback for what we saw five minutes ago? What is this, 'Silent Night, Deadly Night 2'?

Fakest. Driving background. Ever.

Uh-oh, there's a black guy. I will bet you anything he will become a victim of horror movie racism.

NOES! NOT TEH GOAT! DON'T EAT TEH GOAT!

Nooooo…teh goooooat…

Yeah, put the gun down. That will help you. Dumbass.

YAY! TEH GOAT! Awww…goats are adorable; I don't care what you're smoking. The guy got eaten, but I don't care about him.

NOOOOOO TEH GOAT!

That's some shitty CGI.

My God this movie is unwatchable…I'm in pain, you guys.

Inept guy. His greatest weapon is his own ineptitude. And his name is 'Pinkus'. Loser.

His words do not match his mouth. At all. It's like one of those old kung-fu movies when their mouth keeps moving about thirty seconds after the words stop.

How did they flip the truck…?

They needed CGI _mud?!_ IT IS DIRT AND WATER, NO COMPUTERS NEEDED!

More flashbacks from five minutes ago…not even, like two minutes ago. I'm not kidding.

Oh no…is the lightening storm gonna knock out the power so I can't watch this _amazing_ movie? I actually kind of hope so.

Alright I've seen everything from here. Sleazy dickwad poacher dies. Kinda pirate-lookin' guy dies. Snake dies. Black guy dies and kills snake. Chick lives.

That's it. I'm turning off this shitty movie.

**The end.**

Now where IN THE EFF is my beta?!

WHERE ARE YOU SKANK-WAD?! INTERROBANG!

B/N: I HATH ARRIVEDDDDDDDDDDDD!

Jen, I had to watch fucking Gidget. GIDGET! WORST MOVIE EVER!

Not only did I have to watch Gidget, I had to watch its sequals: Gidget goes Hawaiian and Gidget goes to Rome.

IMDB that shit. None of your Saturday movie reports are as atrocious.

A/N2: What kind of name for a movie 'Gidget'?


	39. A More Difficult Mission

A/N: Ah my damn beta is still on vacation…AND THERES NO INTERNET THERE!

I'm bored…so I downloaded 'Maple Story'. It failed the first time (waste of five hours) and the second time it worked. But no one come find me…I'm a pathetic noob. I'll just kinda hide until I get better.

OH MY GOD BREAKING DAWN!

No movie report, reading _Breaking Dawn,_ kthnxbai.

Oh…no….

I just found out there's a Hellsing panel in Baltimore at Otakon this year…and I can't go cause of my Key West trip…Sad Jen is sad.

My hopes and dreams; crushed in an instant…

Well I'm off to Key West.

Turbulence scares the fuck right out of me. Not fun.

Airport Jen is bored.

Well I'm in Key West now…and the little tiny lizards here are way to fast to catch. Also our taxi driver was a pirate. He had a parrot. Named Mango. I have pictures.

Oh yay! My aunt has Comcast and because of this, BBC America, meaning I get to watch Monty Python's Flying Circus and Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares!

We went to Sunset Festival today. It's held every day at sunset, but at any rate: fire jugglers. The dude's 16 and juggled fire like awesome. On a ladder. Not a stepladder, but a ladder you'd need to lean against something. But he didn't lean it against anything. HE BALENCED THAT FUCKER, AND JUGGLED TORCHES ON TOP!

Day two: I went snorkeling. It was hella fun. I SAW A HUGE FRIGGIN' SHARK! IT WAS AWESOME! I then tried to follow it, but I'm admittedly ungraceful in the water, therefore I'm not the fastest swimmer and I lost sight of the 5-foot nurse shark in seconds. And I caught two lobsters, not only my first time trying, but my first time completely underwater with a snorkel. Not like with a trap, like with a handheld net and a stick in ten feet of water with them hiding in little nooks and crannies. They're damn fast, too. They were both too small to keep, but it was still fun.

Then we went diving in a shipwreck. It was awesome. The salt dried on me and I could see it on my arms…it was uncomfortable. But I'm sunburned on mah face and shoulders. Hurts…

Day three: caught a lizard. Took pictures. Overcome by tiny cuteness.

Day four: Swam with dolphins. Went to 'Benihanas', the 'Japanese Hibachi Grill'. Our cook was Mexican. You know, those Japanese hibachi grillers that are named 'Jose'. Really, he was.

Oh dear God. My sunburn is blistering. I am in such hellish pain I honestly can't complete a thought without it being interrupted by a 'DEAR SWEET GOD THAT HURTS SO FUCKING BADLY'…and my bra straps keep pressing on the blistering part…TMI? Not when you're in this much pain.

Aw…chapter 37(38…it was 38 for you…) has the most reviews ever! I LOVE YOU GUYS!

Anywhosle, here's a chapter. A very late chapter, but a chapter nonetheless.

* * *

A few weeks later, I was strapped to Alucard's back and off to another mission.

And I was absolutely terrified. He had purposely waited for a more difficult mission to take me with him. If the last mission was any indication, chances are he wouldn't step in and help until some major artery of mine was torn open. So I was a _little_ nervous.

I had half a mind to just not let go of him when we got there. Of course he would simply pry me off without even trying and toss me into a horde of zombies.

A large house came into view, presumably the vampire's hideout.

"Four ghouls, one vampire." Alucard said as he approached.

"That's a more difficult mission…?" Why would I say that?!

"Oh yes. You'll have fun with this."

'Fun'. Right. Anything Alucard found 'fun' is something I'm sure to hate.

He set me down. I felt like hiding behind him. I don't know if I'll ever be able to shake the thought that he would protect me. Obviously he'd let me get hurt before stepping in; trying to make me get used to the fear and pain, maybe? Whatever the reason, it didn't affect the notion I had that he actually cared for my wellbeing, which was a ridiculous idea. After all, now that he could have a drink of my blood any time he wanted, he was basically keeping me around just for that. That's how I saw it anyway. And though it was only a matter of time before I caved and offered him my blood, I couldn't help thinking that he wouldn't wait that long.

I was getting on a depressing train of thought again. That seemed to be happening increasingly often.

I loaded my gun and kept the extra magazines at the ready. I was determined to impress him this time, and not stumble around like an idiot. I knew what to expect from ghouls this time; I wouldn't hesitate. I hope. I _was_ a bit leery of this situation…

He walked silently up to the house. I followed closely, trying to speculate what 'more difficult' really meant. If it meant 'someone has given undead monsters ammunition' then I'm probably going to die.

A ghoul was standing by the door, grabbing stupidly at the moths flitting around the porch light. Alucard shot it without even seeming to aim.

"What?" I asked. I had assumed he was going to force me into killing them all.

"You're not here to kill ghouls, my dear." He replied, smirking.

Aw fuck. Then he was gonna make me kill the vampire again. Not even make me go through and bother with the ghouls.

We walked into the destroyed house. His gun rang out deafeningly as he took out the three ghouls in the living room with frightening precision. He looked back at me. He fell back on the bloodstained couch, looking immediately at home with the gory surroundings.

"Go." He said simply. He lounged on the couch, putting his feet on the coffee table. His boot made a 'thump' noise that I liked for some reason. He rested his elbow on the arm of the couch and leaned his head on his fist.

"Go do what?"

He grinned, deadly teeth flashing. "There's a vampire we were sent to kill, isn't there? I've tracked down and killed the ghouls; you're not going to make me do all the work, are you?" I think I stopped breathing. Run around a very dark, blood-soaked house looking for a monster who was most likely looking for me?

"But he-he'll kill me!"

"That's a possibility." He said, completely at ease with this fact.

I looked at him, terrified.

"We're not leaving until the vampire's dead, and if he comes in here before you start looking, I'll let him eat you."

I gave him one last begging look, with no effect. He merely continued to stare, somewhat bored, at me.

"Damn it…" I hissed under my breath. I turned from him, heading with incredible reluctance out of the room.

I walked into a bedroom, listening hard. I tried to control my breathing to make it quieter. I had to lessen my fear; it would only make the vampire try harder to kill me, so Alucard had said. And I suppose he would know better than anyone else.

I peeked into the closet, finding nothing. The room had turned out to be empty, other than the severed leg in the corner. A small detail that was a little sickening, but since my first mission Alucard had found a new way of training me; attacking my mind with images of battle. Over the last few weeks I had seen so frickin' many grotesque things…a single severed limb was welcome compared to the stuff Alucard put into my brain. I'm gonna need some serious therapy for it though…

I turned to go out of the room, and almost ran into the darkened form that had appeared in the middle of the room.

"Holy shit!" I shrieked and the vampire pounced.

I leapt out of the way, surprisingly avoiding him. I shot for him, missing. He growled and clawed at me; I stumbled aside, keeping just out of his grasp.

I dashed out of the room, shoving the gun in my pocket. Ice rushed along my arms, reaching up to my shoulder; I put on far more of this armor when I was panicked. Though keeping up more ice was tiring in the long term, adrenaline was keeping me fueled for now. It didn't restrict my movement at all, either. In the beginning it had been a little difficult to get the hang of, but now I had learned to let minute sections of ice melt, keeping me protected but allowing me easy movement. I got pretty good at it, my movements now fluid and normal, rather than clumsy.

I ran past Alucard, hoping pointlessly for some help. It looked like he was _sleeping_. Sleeping! That bastard! I could die and he wouldn't even notice!

"You son of a bitch." I growled at the napping monster on the couch as I rushed by. He didn't respond.

I sprinted into a dead-end kitchen. Both of those things were ironic, and badly so.

"You can't hide from me, girl!" Came the gruff voice of the vampire.

Well, I was standing in the middle of a kitchen; I wasn't hiding very well.

I brought up my arms in a fighting stance, tensing.

He appeared in the doorway, seeming a bit taken aback from the ice, and perhaps noticing my wings. He quickly regained his composure, grinning dangerously. I got the feeling he was amused that his dinner was fighting back. I had obviously no intention to be his dinner.

I growled as best I could at him, and he laughed. All of this mocking was pissing me off.

He curled his own hands into claws, evidently tired of the amusement. He jumped at me, and I could tell he moved fast; the thing was, I got out of the way very easily. It was too simple to avoid him, and I gasped, surprised at my own speed. He was shocked too, for he stopped and stared at me, mouth agape.

He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts and swiped for me again. I danced out of his reach, clawing at him instead. I sliced his arm open, the blood spattering to the ground. It still made me a little sick to see…while Alucard's visions, or whatever they were, had been realistic, they weren't completely true to actuality. Maybe he imparted a miniscule amount of his own enjoyment of the scene he was showing me, unintentionally toning the horror down a bit.

"Agh, you little bitch!" He snarled, holding his arm. It began to heal slowly… wait; why slowly? Alucard had always healed what little damage I was able to inflict on him instantly.

I decided against giving him time to heal. I flicked my hand forward again, striking at his stomach and tearing the skin open. The vampire screamed in pain, crumpling to the ground, and a wave of pity hit me. I stepped back, frowning.

He suddenly leapt up at me, reaching for my throat.

I yelped and jumped back.

"Damn…quick little whore…" I heard him growl.

I glared at him. Alucard was right, these guys fight dirty. They'd do anything to get at my blood, and I shouldn't show them any mercy.

I swung at him again, but he evaded it. The vampire tried to grab for me, and I skipped back. He still cut my side a bit, drawing blood. He gasped, eyes widening. Damn.

The vampire's eyes began to glow and he sunk into a crouch. A low, feral growl sounded. I took a step back, intimidated despite my own will.

He roared and pounced, extending his arms to catch me, fangs exposed. I ducked away, clawing his shoulder open.

He spun around, wasting no time and coming at me again. He managed a slight scrape on my face, on my cheek. I flinched, lashing out at him blindly. Bone clicked against my icy fingertips when I hit his chest.

He stopped rushing at me and howled, clutching his torn open chest. I struck again, putting more force into this punch and breaking through the bone. My claws pierced his unbeating heart, and blood spurted out of the wound for some odd reason. I avoided most of the spray, but some still got on my clothes, enough to warrant some of the crazy, heavy-duty blood-removing laundry detergent the entire mansion was well-supplied with.

The vampire turned into a pile of dust on the floor, and I walked back into the room containing a second vampire. Well, technically a 'first' vampire, but whatever. He was smirking; evidently pleased with the way I handled the vampire.

"Good job." He purred. Half of me wanted to go sit with him, but the other half (being the louder of the two) was telling me how horribly sticky with blood that friggin couch looked.

Luckily he got up, removing any desire to sit on that couch. I noticed that his coat picked up no staining. He put two fingers under my chin, tilting my head to the side; examining the little cut the vampire put on my face.

He leaned in. It felt strange to have just fought for my life against a vampire, but now I was willingly letting one take my blood. I closed my eyes; a little nervous.

His freezing tongue slid slowly over my cheek only three times before he moved back; the cut being a small one and easily healed. Though I highly doubt he was interested expressly in healing me.

He swung me onto his back and I held on as the cold shadows that most people would run in terror from bound me up and secured me to his back. I felt them shifting around the spot where the vampire had cut my side, taking my blood but healing me. It kind of tickled.

We soon reached the mansion, and he let me go so I could get a shower. Soon after that, my hair was dripping wet and I had put some pajamas on. I sprawled on my bed, my mind distracted by a book of horror stories. Despite the fact that my life had pretty much turned into a horror story, I couldn't help but still enjoy, in some sick, twisted way, the creepy books. The volume I held was mainly made of tales of eerie murders. You know, the whole 'roommate finds friend's headless body in the kitchen' type stories. Urban legends, for the most part, but told with embellishment to make them extra creepy.

I knew this was a bad idea with a mind-reading creeper of a vampire living in the same house, but sometimes I found myself saying 'screw it.'

I was just getting into the climax of a slasher story and quite on edge, when arms wrapped around me and lifted me off the bed roughly. I think my heart may have stopped.

I yelped and the arms tightened, pressing my back against him and restricting my movements. I knew it was only Alucard, but damn, he sacred me pretty badly.

He chuckled, lying down on my bed. I was still pinned to his chest, and he didn't seem to have any intention of letting me go.

I struggled slightly, my fight being met with a laugh. I was suddenly struck with the thought that I was just a toy to him. And when he got bored he would simply get rid of me, which I would not survive. I heard that he tended to get tired of things rather quickly, making me think my days were numbered. This was not the first time such an idea had come to me, but it certainly wasn't a welcome one.

My thoughts were interrupted by a hand moving up and forcing my head to the side. Alucard leaned around and breathed in at my neck. Was he bored with me now?

"Always so nervous…" He murmured. "What's the matter, my dear?"

I was either too scared or too overjoyed to speak. Those two emotions tended to get mixed up when I was around Alucard.

He chuckled, hopefully at my reaction rather than my concerns.

He rolled onto his side, bringing me with him. He nuzzled against the back of my neck, and his gloved finger traced patternless designs over my heart, which skipped a beat at such gentle and seemingly affectionate actions.

I turned over to face him, trying not to seem like I wanted him to stop. He didn't.

His silky black hair brushed over my neck as he reveled in the scent of my blood, never failing to make me shiver. My heart raced and my bare feet pushed against the wall behind me, almost involuntarily, pressing my body against his. I grasped the edge of his coat, digging my nails into it before sliding my arm around him, splaying my fingers out on his back, trying to hold him to me.

Then I caught myself. I realized he had stopped moving across my throat to pull his face away and go still.

I flinched back, terrified that I crossed some line, as well as embarrassed. I looked up at him. He was smirking, but there was no hint of anger on his face. Oh no…he's gonna dismiss me as some horny schoolgirl, and either ignore me completely from now on or simply eat me.

"S-sorry…" I mumbled, looking away.

He laughed.

I wished I could leave, but I was trapped.

I stared at the front of his coat; scared and ashamed. But he didn't let me go. He didn't say anything, but he seemed content to keep me right where I was.

I soon began to feel a little tired. And by this time, feeling a bit hurt with his silence. I stole another glance at his face, and he raised his eyebrows questioningly at me.

"Pura, do you think I'm mad at you?"

"Yes…"

He chuckled again, the low sound both menacing and impossible to resist. "I'm not. In fact it's amusing that you think merely pressing against me will lead me to believe you to be a…'horny schoolgirl', you suggested? Trust me; you women can go much farther than that." I'm kinda wanting to die right about now. Or at least be able to leave. It's official, Alucard's vocabulary does not include the word 'awkward'. "And if you're upset by my lack of speaking these last few minutes, it was only because _you_ curled up; I assumed you didn't want me at your neck."

I didn't move, now feeling more embarrassed. He just pretty much suggested that he expected me to try and push it further. I wouldn't, because 1) it would get me killed, 2) I'm sixteen, and 3) he would never feel the same way about me.

"I expect you're going to try and forget this happened?" His voice broke through my mental listing.

"Yeah…yeah I am."

I felt him laugh. "Alright. Do what you will; I won't bring it up again unless you mention it. It makes no difference to me."

I decided to go to sleep, and was almost out when I felt his arms tighten around me, holding me securely to him. I sometimes wonder; if I were to understand him for even a little while, would I go insane?

* * *

A/N: gah I just wanna go to bed. It's four in the morning. This chapter feels a little so-so to me, but maybe that's just because I'm very self-critical.

Yeah this is very late. I'm well aware. I was on vacation, dammit! I wasn't on fanfiction writing…um…ation!

Ew…I feel like a lizard with my scaly sunburn…not that I have anything against lizards, I just don't like to feel like one.

Hmm…I'm not sure what chapter to put next…because I have some, chock fulla cliffhangers just sitting here waiting to punch you in the face. Wait, wait…yep every one of them ends in a cliffy and just goes into another one.

AREN'T YOU GUYS LUCKY?!INTERROBANG?!

You all should know what an interrobang is…look it up.

I've got nothing else to say…

Now if only I could find someone would to like read over this and fix any mistakes…someone who preferably lived two houses up from me…someone who's a skanky ho…and it'd be great if their name started with an 'M' and they enjoyed playing Drakengard. But I just can't think of anyone who could possibly fit that profile. Marie do you know anyone who could do that?

B/N: NOPE! Jen, what the hell are you watching? Camels aren't legendary!

The POWER OF BICYCLES!


	40. Cookie Crisp

A/N: Look; I'm sorry. I wrote this when I was supposed to be writing chapter 36. Well, 37 for you guys. I'm always one chapter behind (I never counted the first Musical Interlude as a chapter on my computer. Haven't I told you this?) That was the multi-tasking going on back then. Bwaha.

Okay…so, the chapter where I said was happy for so many reviews(39) on the chapter _before_ that(38) got the fewest reviews for the past 4 chapters? Follow me? (that's pretty much a way of review-begging. What can I say, they make me happy.)

OH MY GOD! FOURTIETH CHAPTER! Jesus, I had no idea that this would go on so long…back in chapter…five, maybe? I told Marie I thought I'd only have about twelve more chapters. But damn, 40 chapters…alright everyone, party at my place. Hellsing, Dexter, and some hot guys from my school (Erm, males who read this…just concentrate on the Hellsing I guess). I'll make cookies. I make damn good cookies…Marie, you make brownies, but don't let anyone eat them.

If the chapter seems late it's Josh's fault. Because he makes me very sad, ALL THE FREAKING TIME. YOU HEAR ME, JOSH?! YOUR FAULT!

Or maybe I'm just reluctant to let this chapter go…technically I've worked on it longer than any other…(hugs chapter) be nice to it…

Now…to open the floodgates to a monsoon of CLIFFHANGERS!

B/N: Jen needs to stop playing video games that she hates, it's pissing me off. She doesn't stop cursing, and wishing death on little fictional men.

A/N2: Little Nemo is an asshole, Marie. You've seen it. And those fucking LITTLE PUFFBALL THINGS! YOU CAN'T AVOID THEM! THEY JUST KEEP FOLLOWING YOU! AND THOSE FUCKING BEES! OOOH I HATE RESPAWING ENEMIES!

* * *

A few days later, I was lying on my stomach, splayed on my bed in a manner most would consider lazy. I had no idea what time it was and I had no intention to find out.

"Hey." Came the soft voice of the red-clad vampire who just appeared on my bed. "Get up; there's a mission." Damn.

"What kinda mission?" My words were muffled by the pillow I buried my face in.

"Probably one vampire, but quite a few ghouls. We're going to his hideout."

I groaned and hugged the pillow, pushing it harder into my face.

He chuckled. "Stop trying to smother yourself; you can do that when you get back. We're leaving in an hour."

He disappeared (well I assumed so; and I was right) and I sat up, glaring at the spot where he had been. I don't wanna fight ghouls...and what the hell did '_probably _one vampire' mean?

I sighed, knowing it was pointless to try to argue my way out of this. He'd just do something that made me fall apart inside and I'd do anything he told me.

Now, what was I to do with an hour? That wasn't very long at all; he couldn't have let me know a little sooner?

I hopped off the bed, retrieved my laptop, and hopped back on the bed. What else was I supposed to do other than screw around on the internet for an hour?

After roughly that amount of time, I got up and pulled on my shirt with the holes in the back. Oddly that would be something most people would throw away. I was about to leave when I remembered something important. I picked up the small silver cross on my dresser and slipped it into my pocket. Why it took three missions for them to give me this, I'll never know.

Arms suddenly slid around my waist and pulled me backwards into a vampire.

"Ready?" A voice purred into my ear.

"Ye-yeah." I can never think clearly when he does this! Dammit!

He laughed, tossing me onto his back and taking off.

After a while of running, he stopped and let me down. I looked at place where the vampire apparently was. An old three-story farmhouse, thick woods framing the property. Could this look a little more like a teen-slasher movie, please?

"Come on. I'm not sure if the ghouls are armed or not, but stick to the halls, don't let them back you into a room with one exit, and you can shoot at the slightest noise; you won't hit anything alive." He handed my gun to me and I followed him up to the ominously silent house.

"Wait…I'm going to be running around _alone_ in here with potentially armed ghouls around?!" That was bad.

"Yes. There are a lot of ghouls in there, and I want to tear through something tonight. You won't be able to keep up with me."

"I-if I start screaming will you come make sure I'm alive?"

"I suppose…" Oh God, I'm screwed.

We reached the doorway, minus the door. I flinched away from the scent of rot coming from inside the house.

"Still can't take it? Ah, well; go in." He nudged me through the doorway, and I stepped in a sticky puddle of coagulating blood. "Good luck." Alucard's voice echoed. I knew that were I to turn around, there would be no Alucard to greet me, shiny fangs glinting. I'd welcome the sight of that terrifying grin right now, actually.

I whimpered and padded into the dark house, ears pricked up and eyes wide. Since there were no other living things in here and I can't hurt Alucard with these bullets, I kept my finger on the trigger. Usually that was a 'no' with gun safety, but I don't think Alucard believed in the words 'gun safety'.

The first room I came into looked clear (except for the blood smeared all over the walls but whatever). It was some sort of living room. Which was kinda of ironic now.

I tried not to jump when a ghoul shambled into the room, looking around before setting its eyes on me. I shot it the second I got a clear view of its head. I glared at it. "Nyah." I mumbled as I stuck my tongue out at the thing. I hate ghouls…SO FRIGGIN MUCH. I kill it, I get to act as childish as I like to it.

I almost screeched when I heard the sudden crash of something glass behind me. I wheeled around, shooting at head level blindly. I actually hit the ghoul, much to my own surprise.

"Fucker…" I hissed under my breath. I notice I curse more when I a) play video games and b) fight. Of course, sometimes they're the same thing, with my love of the 'House of the Dead' series and the like. So then I just spit profanities at double the speed.

I moved into another room, a kitchen. The old-fashioned and intentionally comforting room took on a gruesome tone with the bloody handprints and cacophony of buzzing flies. White shards of bone were imbedded into the table, the wood worn otherwise smooth by generations of hands being run across it. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts; I had to emotionally distance myself in these situations.

A ghoul was clawing vacantly at a box of cereal on the table that had been spilled across it. But pretty much everything they do is vacant. Why did he want cereal…?

"What the hell, man?" I couldn't help asking, knowing full well he wouldn't answer me.

The ghoul looked up and I shot it in the head. The mystery of the ghoul who wanted Cookie Crisp will forever remain unsolved.

I peeked into a bathroom, to find it empty. Moving on, I opened a door to find steps leading down. God. Damn. It.

A basement. Of course a basement. Leatherface is gonna come charging up those stairs, Jason skipping behind him with Pinhead and Freddy Kreuger in tow holding hands and singing nursery rhymes. When I think I'm getting away, Michael Myers will pop up out of a fucking sink drain or something.

I sucked in air through my teeth as if I was in pain. Alucard would be disappointed in me if I wussed out. And I knew he despised cowards. Nevermind the fact that I was sixteen and I was a magnet for all things that enjoyed human flesh.

I sighed heavily and set my foot on the first step. It creaked loudly, making me leap back.

"Can this be a _little_ more like a freaking horror movie, please?" I whispered to no one in particular.

A moan of a ghoul floated up the stairway.

"Of course it can…" I growled.

I reloaded my gun though I had a bullet left; putting it in my pocket for later if the need arose. I walked down the steps, determined but cautious.

Moonlight filtered down from the dingy window at the top of the wall, too small to escape out of. It cast a light into the room that was just enough to see by, but dim enough to bathe most of the room in eerie shadows.

I glanced around the room, staying close to the stairs and keeping an eye on the little area under them. That was a corner that unsettled me badly…

My suspicions were proved right; a ghoul comes staggering out of the darkened triangular spot, groaning and reaching for me. I growled and fired at it, blasting a hole through its chest.

I took out the remaining three ghouls lurking around down here and began ascending the stairs. I almost fell back down them when I noticed someone standing just outside the doorway.

"Jesus!" I yelped.

It was only Alucard, scaring the hell out of me. He chuckled, crossing his arms and leaning against the blood-spattered wall. "You did well. I didn't think you'd go down there…"

"You are such a jackass…"

"Be that as it may, we need to go find the vampire. He's fled the house and is outside in the woods. He's a bit more powerful than you're used to, so I'll just kill him. Stay where I tell you to and don't go wandering around."

"Alright…" this made me more than a little nervous.

He led me outside. "If he comes back to the house and you're inside you'll have no chance." He explained.

He told me to stay right outside the house before disappearing into the forest. I was tense, keeping my gun ready. The silence was overpowering…there were no crickets or owls or any kind of nighttime creatures making noise…I guess they were just smart enough to stay the hell away from this place.

I was listening hard to find some manner of sound from the woods.

Someone clamped a wet cloth over my mouth and nose.

I let out a muffled shriek, my wings pinned to my back and one of my arms twisted behind me. The cloth smelled sickly sweet. Too sweet to be anything but poisonous. Ice rushed along my hands and I clawed ineffectively against the hand that was suffocating me. I realized from somewhere the cloth was soaked in chloroform, and my vision started to blur. I scrabbled for the silver cross in my pocket as my teeth clipped down over my tongue, drawing blood as I tried to bite the hand.

I finally had the cross between my fingertips, when I couldn't hold it anymore. It slipped out of my hand as my body went limp and my mind hazed over. I slumped forward in my captor's grip. The last thing I saw before my world went black was the shining cross falling to the ground, bouncing a little, a puff of dust rising.

_Alucard…where are you…?_

* * *

I woke up. I was lying on my back, and I couldn't move. The table was cold metal…an examination table…

It was dark, a bare hanging light bulb giving off a low and flickering light.

My hands, wings, and feet were held to the table by something…welded? My wings were straight out horizontally, fastened tight to the table. Secured to the metal somehow was a leather collar wrapped around my neck, tight enough to keep me still, but loose enough to let me breathe. My arms were out above my head on an angle, and my legs were spread apart a little. Like…

_Like a dissection frog._

No! Don't think that!

I realized that…I was naked. And it was cold. And you could tell.

Fuck!

Ice shot up my arms, forming into claws. I screamed and thrashed against the metal shackles; they didn't budge.

"My, my, aren't you quite the fierce little thing?" A voice spoke from the shadows.

I whipped my head to the side; a man, in medical scrubs and surgical facemask was standing there. Well, I knew he wasn't a man. He was the vampire.

He walked towards me, stopping and placing his hands on the table, grinning down at me, the edges of his fang-filled mouth showing out of the side of the mask.

"You won't break free. I welded those restraints myself. Sorry about the face mask…I'm afraid I might become overwhelmed and kill you too soon without it…" He said, the tone of his voice showing he was toying with me.

"ALUCARD!" I screeched.

"Scream all you want; no one can hear you. We're miles away from that little farmhouse. This is a long abandoned hospital…the one I worked in while I was human, actually. I was quite the reputable surgeon, and I know just how much you can take without passing out or dying… But trust me, he won't find you anytime soon. When he does, I wish I could see the look on his face when he finds your cold, lifeless little corpse drained of blood…your pretty eyes glazed over with death…" He laughed as I glared up at him.

I forced myself not to beg…it never helps anyway…Alucard would hate for me to beg…and it's what this guy wants…

I spat, hitting him in the face. He just laughed harder, wiping his face with the heel of his hand. "Ah, such a defiant girl. And such a pretty little creature…" His hand slid across my side, moving up and resting to cup my breast.

"GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF ME!" I screamed, thrashing.

He chuckled and let go, walking away. I lied on the table, breathing hard, shaking against my own will. I watched him with a glare.

My eyes widened and I gasped in fear when I saw what he picked up from the small rolling table about three feet away. He walked back, humming cheerfully, holding a glinting scalpel.

"I want to see what makes you tick, girl. I wonder if you're any different from humans internally. You've noticed it's rather cold in here; that's just to slow the flow of your blood. We don't want you bleeding to death before I get a bite, now do we?"

The cold blade of the instrument pressed against my side between my ribs, just under my arm, not cutting yet. He held it so it wouldn't sink straight into me, rather it would slip under my skin.

"Actually, I can take my time… He's not going to come looking for you."

"What?" I whispered.

"Why would the King of Vampires come looking for you—a talkative snack?"

The blade sunk into me, slipping under my skin as I had expected. I could barely register what he had said over the pain. He slid the knife down and I felt hot blood seep across my back and make my hair wet.

I screamed in agony as he skinned me alive. I screamed in fear. Screamed for Alucard.

* * *

A/N: Do I um…need to up the rating for nudity? It's pretty one-sided, and this is gonna be more violent than dirty. Actually, I'll tell you now; nothing dirty will happen. Sorry if I'm disappointing anyone.

Oh hey, looking back on my word count, I only need a few more to make a hundred thousand words. How neat is that? I think it's neat…In order to make it there, I'm writing this little pointless semi-paragraph. Yep, made it. NOTHER PARTY, SAME BAT-PLACE, SAME BAT-TIME!

Seriously people. Spoiler warnings save lives. SO STOP NOT USING THEM YOU FUCKING BASTARDS! GOD DAMN IT DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW PISSED OFF THAT MAKES ME?!

You're lucky I caught it and spoiler-dodged. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! Erm, maybe you don't…I'm not all that sure that this person reads my story…STILL, I'M ANGRY WITH YOU! NO REVIEW FOR YOU!

Breathe Jen, breathe…

Okay…I'm okay

In other words, we bow our heads in silence to mark the end of summer.

Musical Interlude next. How will Alucard react to poor little Pura getting kidnapped? I dunno (oh wait; yes I do!), but there will be violence in the next chappie either way.


	41. Musical Interlude V

A/N: Well look at that; a Musical Interlude! Oh noes, violence to come. Lots of it. Take this as a warning. Also, a sad chapter. Also the story's not over.

This chapter's short. I'll have you know this is _not_ the shortest chapter ever. Chapter two was, by almost 500 words. So there.

Another Interlude after this.

Jesus, I scare myself sometimes.

(You guys though that last chapter was torture? Oh but I have so much moooooore!)

Anywhosle, I got my hair dyed black(looks great, thanks for asking).

I'm updating with this quick only because it's short. The next chapter however will be about a week. Because I want to make you waaaaaait. (insert evil laughter here) ok I'm sorry. But serious about the week thing.

B/N: Jen: Hey, YOU KIDS! YOU KIDS! STOP IT! DAMMIT, YOU KIDS! YOU KIDS! YOU KIDS, HEY! What's on your toe? Your feet are damn nasty.

Marie: I know.

Jen: YOU KIDS!

Jen: (is cooking noodles) Marie, what can we do with this starch?

Marie: (is betaing this chapter) I'm busy.

Jen: That's right, we can make potatoes out of it.

Marie: Thank god.

Jen: Because, you just CONDENSE the starch, and it turns into a potato.

Marie: I see

Jen: BECAUSE THAT'S HOW STARCH WORKS! THAT'S ALSO HOW POTATOES WORK!

A/N2: Wow I really say some stupid-ass things, don't I?

* * *

What a coward of a vampire…running away. I stalked back to the farmhouse, angry with the prey that snuck away. Oh I'll find him; I just need to get Pura…

I reached the house, to find the damn girl had wandered off anyway. I snarled, thinking of some form of punishment.

Then I noticed the scent of blood and fear lingering in the air. The vampire's blood…and a hint of_ her_ blood…chloroform…

"Pura?" I called, listening closely for a heartbeat. No reply came.

"Pura!" I yelled, louder than before but with the same results.

Something at my feet caught my eye. I bent down, picking up the little shining thing.

Her cross.

I held the silver in my hand, ignoring the slight discomfort of the blessed metal. The vampire hadn't run…he hid to get at her…to take her…

Was she…dead? Had I forever lost the girl?

At this thought, an odd pain shot through me. It lasted only a second, but it made me flinch. Did the silver burn through my glove? No, that was intact…

I shook the feeling off, pocketing the cross. I pulled the cell phone Integra insisted I carried out of my pocket, finally getting use out of it. I dialed the mansion.

"Master." I growled when she picked up.

"What is it Alucard? Haven't you disposed of the vampire yet?" she was impatient.

"He's taken her." I said, trying to keep the anger out of my voice. It was in no way directed at my master, but at the scum of a vampire who used chemicals to capture his prey, rather than fight for it.

"Pura?!" she asked, taken by surprise.

"Yes, Pura." I hissed her name. "Let me leave the area to track the vampire down."

"Of course. Find him…and Alucard?"

"Yes?"

"Make him pay. That's an order."

"With pleasure." I shut the phone, the command being all I needed.

I sniffed the air…the blood from the farmhouse was dominant. I soon caught the scent of what was no more than a drop of her blood…but it was enough. I rushed to the spot, following the mouth-watering scent easily. I smelled another drop, farther on.

How did this idiot not smell her dripping blood? The fact that he could not appreciate such a rare delicacy made me even angrier.

It took me more than a quarter of an hour to begin to pick up the vampire's thoughts. Their thoughts travel much father than a human's, or maybe I'm just fine-tuned to my own species. It took far too long to get to this point, but the trail had gotten weak at times.

I entered the vampire's mind, going into his sight. I soon saw what he was seeing.

And I was going to make him suffer.

Pura, lying in shackles on a metal table. She was naked, and he had no doubt burned her clothing in a futile attempt to keep me from tracking her down. But more noticeable were the thin, bare white bones of her ribcage.

He had skinned the sides of the girl, pinning the loose tissue to the table with hooks. Her flesh was peeled back just below her breasts and pinned to her middle, too, and he had slit the muscles between her ribs to clamp them apart. I could see her lungs moving as she breathed. Through his mind, I heard the shallow, whimpering breathing.

I ran faster, still locked into his mind. Pura let out another sob, as he walked back to a small cart full of instruments and small containers of liquid. He picked a container up; it was full of a clear, water-like substance; medical alcohol. He returned to the agonized girl and stood over her.

Her eyes widened; she could smell the heavy scent of the alcohol. "You wouldn't want an infection, would you?" He asked as he soaked a rag in the liquid.

She pulled uselessly against the metal, trying to avoid this new torture. He laid the dripping cloth over most of her open wounds.

Pura screamed like some sort of banshee, a high, ear-shattering and drawn-out screech that threatened to rupture her own vocal chords. She thrashed violently for a few seconds, until the exhaustion from blood loss and previous struggles forced her to stop. Her screams tapered off into pathetic whimpering as the alcohol evaporated from the cloth.

He poked at her for a little while before picking up a larger knife from the table.

A hunting knife, serrated and capable of piercing flesh and bone easily.

He stalked over to the trembling little creature and smiled down at her. He placed the tip of the blade over her heart, where the skin was still intact.

A crunch rang out as the knife was shoved through her solar plexus.

Pura choked weakly once, blood spurting from her mouth, her struggles going completely still. She lifted her head as well as she could to look at the knife sticking out of her chest. Her heart sputtered, splattering blood visibly inside her.

Blood pulsed weakly out her the wound, as well as from the open spaces between her ribs.

That odd pain tore through me again, far more powerful this time.

Her head collapsed back onto the table, her body going limp, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.

Dead.


	42. Musical Interlude VI

A/N: (CLIFFHANGERMASTER dance, (which, Marie for your reference, is pretty much just my ho dance, and we all know how pretty that is.))

I'm sorry.

That was a cheap shot.

Shouldn't you expect shit like this from me by now?

I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the chaos that unfolded from the last chapter. (because it resulted in the most reviews ever.)

(chaos gets worse) oh…God (hides) PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!

MUSICAL INTERLUDE! Now with added torture! Don't miss out, limit ten per caller. We accept Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and reviews (NUDGE NUDGE WINK WINK). (And pictures of [*******] and her beautiful face) Marie get your ass out of my author's notes. Your hideousness has already been burned into my retinas, I don't need any pictures.

What? School for Jen? DO NOT WANT!

Damn, what is this, Musical Interlude VI? That's awesome.

No seriously though, I'm scared of myself.

I RESEARCHED MEDICAL THINGS FOR YOU UNGRATEFUL BASTARDS! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW!

No it was fun. And informative. And I had to convert things. Well, _I _didn't. I was too lazy. Thank you Jooooosh, AKA Marie's new husband who got married in a tux made of bacon.

Ok listen. This may be the last update in a while. School's just starting, and I have a lot to do. So I have no idea when I'll be able to post again. And the only reason this is a bit early is that I'm fairly depressed and need some sort of positive feedback on anything. Because I'm getting none of that so far today…

Do you have any idea what I wrote a good bit of this chapter to? 'Good Eats' with Alton Brown. What the fuck is wrong with me!

B/N: Why didn't you write it to the sound of Ina Garten playing the harp?

A/N2: Because I already booked her for my wedding to this cup of coffee. I do not want to overwork the ruler of raising barns and pretending to go to France.

* * *

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts; I had somehow gotten into his intentions, not his actions. She was still alive; though to what extent I didn't know. He was just taking the alcohol-soaked cloth off the whimpering girl. He dabbed it on the exposed underside of her skin, making her scream again. For once, I didn't enjoy the sound.

I arrived at the run-down hospital, following the strong scent of her blood. I reached the room in an instant entering with a roar.

"What?" The vampire yelled, dropping the scalpel he held. It fell away from her, thankfully.

I leapt upon him, pinning him up against the wall, my hand around his throat.

"How dare you even think of touching this girl. You dare not only touch her, but proceed to cause her even the slightest discomfort! You're going to suffer as you will in hell, scum." I snarled. "But first…" My shadows kept him against the rotting wall, cutting into his flesh as I walked away…towards the blood-drenched girl secured to the table.

Her shuddering breathing was broken by sobbing; she didn't even realize I was here. I kneeled at the table, getting a little above eye level with her. I brushed a lock of hair, sticky with blood, out of her face. Her eyes were closed and she trembled with cold, fear, and pain. I could smell she was still a virgin; something I had been concerned with. Her blood's scent was almost impossible to resist…there was so much of it, and it was shed in fear, making it all the better. But I couldn't hurt her now…any more shock would certainly kill her...more quickly.

"Pura…" I murmured to her. Her tear-filled eyes opened, the light almost gone from them. I ran my hand down the side of her face opposite to me. I had to be compassionate; I had to treat her with the same carefulness I had on the first night she stayed with me after I nearly killed her. Humans had low breaking points, and she was very near hers now, both physical and mental. "Little one…what has he done to you…?"

"Alucard…?" She asked, her voice breaking, not knowing whether to believe that I was real.

"I'm here." I assured her.

"God…it hurts, Alucard…" She closed her eyes again in pain.

"I know it does little one, I know." She was cold…too cold. I couldn't offer her any heat and putting my coat on her might damage the exposed and delicate blood vessels she still had intact.

She pulled almost involuntarily at the metal bonds. I saw how very weak her movements had become. Seeing it through the vampire's mind was different from seeing it myself; toned down.

I couldn't take them off, not because of any physical inability, but because she might hurt herself further if she could move around now. I couldn't even save her by turning her if it became certain she was going to die…

The vampire yelled from the wall, whining at the shadows burning his skin like acid. "Silence! That's far from the pain you'll be in soon!" I roared over my shoulder. No, he wouldn't die yet. In fact, he won't die for a while. I'm going to take my time with him.

I looked back at Pura, who had opened her eyes in terror at the sound of his voice. "Don't worry, my dear. He can't hurt you any more. He's going to feel your pain tenfold."

She sobbed in pain again. "Am…am I gonna die…?" She whimpered, looking into my eyes. She feared the answer, but didn't want me to lie.

"I don't know."

She closed her eyes and sniffled. I leaned down to rest my forehead on hers, closing my own eyes. "Pura" I whispered "I'm going to hypnotize you, make you sleep. It'll dull the pain. Then I'm going to call the medics back at Hellsing. I'm going to stay with you until they get here. Once they take you out of this place, I'm going to make that vampire suffer. Alright?"

"Okay…" She opened her eyes as I moved back. I looked deeply into her eyes, her consciousness almost gone already. She soon was under my power, and in a sleep that she would stay in forever if I wanted. But I only held her under so that the pain wouldn't wake her. Ordinarily I just released her instantly, and she slept slightly longer than she would have normally.

I leaned back down and gently pressed my lips against her forehead. I flinched back, not knowing where this human impulse had come from. I looked at the sleeping girl, so fragile, bleeding to death slowly. Her bare ribcage was mostly slick with blood, the white bone showing through in some places. Her hair was soaking wet with her own blood, and the sound of it dripping off the table seemed louder than her actual heartbeat. I truly didn't know if she would live through this…I placed my hand over her heart, the space normally warm with that fascinating heat that radiated from her, was now neutral. Her heart thumped weakly under my hand, worrying me.

Why were these sentiments presenting themselves to me? Emotions like these were for weak little humans.

I called the medics, pushing the questions away for now. I explained what had happened to Pura, and was met with (as I expected) poorly masked horror. I gave them the location and hung up, not wishing to speak with random and stupid humans any longer than I had to.

They were slow. I waited, staying by Pura. I didn't want to leave her alone; I could hear rats scuttling around inside the walls, waiting for a chance at the girl.

I took the chance to drink the blood pooled in the slightly raised edges of the table. I ran my tongue over the cold, slick, blood-covered metal, savoring the taste. It wasn't nearly often enough that I had a chance at her blood. True, I could bite her whenever I wanted, but for once I had been playing fair, waiting for her to ask or offer. I was confident she would have eventually, but _this_ certainly dimmed those chances. I could smell that she was doing that odd trick when her body produces blood cells at an extremely rapid pace. But it wasn't fast enough. It was just prolonging the time it took for her to bleed to death.

The medics finally arrived, after an hour. Damn humans. Their eyes widened in horror; one would think as medical experts catering to a vampire-hunting agency they would see horrors all the time. Though, half-skinned yet living young girls may be something of a rarity. Some of them cast disturbed glances at the vampire writhing in the hold of my shadows, but ignored him for the most part, after assuring he was restrained.

It was a good thing this was the first floor of the hospital; going downstairs on a stretcher or sled would kill her. I helped them move her to the stretcher after removing her shackles, not trusting them to get her on it gently enough. Even so, she let out a pained moan.

The medics rolled her out and I released her from my power that had been keeping her unconscious. I turned to the vampire.

"Now then…" I growled, advancing slowly. "You seem to have picked the wrong girl to cut up. And you are going to suffer greatly because of it."

I grabbed him by the shoulders and snapped them, his screaming starting before I even touched him. I grinned, my teeth all elongating into glistening fangs at the sound.

"Oh you think _that_ hurts? But I'm just getting started."

My nails turned to talons inside my gloves, and I sunk them into his side. I tore flesh and bone from him, blood gouting onto the floor, sparkling as it showered down.

He howled. "Quiet." I ordered. He continued screaming. "Well, if you're not going to listen I'll just have to persuade you." I grabbed his lower jaw, my fingers in his mouth and my thumb under the shelf of his chin, nearly tearing off his tongue as I did this. I gave one hard yank, ripping half his mouth off. I tossed the severed thing to the side. The vampire choked wordlessly.

I gripped a fistful of his hair and wrenched it out, scalping him.

I tore more skin and bones out of him for a while, then pinned him back to the wall. I walked away, chuckling. The vampire gasped, breathing hard. He began making gurgling screams when I began walking back, beaker of alcohol in hand. Though it would still burn open wounds on a vampire, I had to 'spice it up'.

I pulled a silver bullet out of my pocket. I crushed it, sprinkling the blessed powdered metal into the liquid.

I splashed a good amount onto his wounds, his agonized noises musical to me. I shoved his head back with the heel of my hand.

"What a shame you didn't get a drink tonight. But I think I'll fix that right now."

I poured the mixture, along with most of the silver that had sunken to the bottom, down his throat.

"Drink up." I said, grinning uncontrollably.

Smoke poured from what was left of his mouth, the silver scalding him and the alcohol setting into the burns.

The sky in a broken-through section of wall caught my eye. This took longer than I thought. I had to cut it short. I glanced around the room, my eyes settling on a wooden-handled broom. I grabbed it and dragged the vampire outside with me.

The sun was close enough to the horizon to make the night sky turn purple instead of black. I pulled the broom part off and cast it aside. I splintered the end of the handle, and jabbed it into his eye. He howled in pain as I twisted the thing before pulling it out slowly. I did the same to his other eye.

The sun was getting closer.

I pressed the wooden handle slowly through the exposed back of his mouth and shoved it well into the ground.

I stomped on his middle, crushing his organs. I then brought my heel down on his crotch, effectively castrating him.

The sun's rays poked over the horizon, skimming him. The scent of fear, blood, and suffering put me in such an elevated state that I didn't even notice the slight annoyance of the sun on my skin.

"Oh…I almost forgot."

I fished Pura's cross out of my pocket. I laid it on his forehead, the metal hissing as it touched him. I placed my index finger on the cross and pressed it. It sunk slowly into him, singeing flesh and blackening bone. His skull soon cracked under my finger, letting the cross hit more sensitive nerves.

He choked and twitched, his pain almost tangible in the air. I stood back, letting the cross do its damage where it was; any further and it would hit his brain, and there aren't any pain receptors in the brain.

The sun finally touched him, his skin blistering under its light. I watched as his blood boiled, even able to see it bubbling in the intact parts of his organs. A blister popped audibly and his blood began to thicken, the water evaporating from it. His skin soon blackened, and he was still alive. I kicked his charred skin, the blackened flesh crackling and flaking off to reveal his yet untouched insides. The sun quickly charred that too.

Soon after that the vampire turned to dust and blew away in the wind.

I stayed out there for a few minutes, knowing if I went back to Hellsing now, in my blood-maddened state, I'd hunt down Pura and kill her. Her blood would just be too much. I calmed down and made my way back, not knowing if she even made it to the mansion alive.

If I got back…only to find she had died on the way there…to discover her cold, white, unmoving on a stretcher or in the morgue…

That mysterious pain hit me again. What _was_ this?

I shook it off once more. I reached the mansion quickly, teleporting immediately to the medical ward. Whether she was dead or alive, she'd be here.

A white coat-clad human strolled by. I caught him, picking him up by his collar.

"Where is she?" I demanded. The human sputtered, his eyes widening but understanding what I was talking about. I shook him, prompting him for an answer.

"Uh-um-the ER!" He managed. I dropped him and made my way there. If she was in the ER, she was still alive.

The strong scent of disinfectant that hung about the medical ward masked Pura's scent somewhat. That, and the blood of so many others; the new soldiers couldn't seem to keep their guns pointed away from each other in training, and the smell of blood and pain was strong.

But her scent was there, and I followed it easily. My nose led me to a small room. I walked in, to find an observation area with a two-way mirror looking into the actual room. I could feel how warm it was inside there. Pura lied on a bed under quite a few blankets, one or two of them electric, yet she shivered.

IVs were in her arm along with a blood transfusion dripping down the tube into her. Machines inside this room beeped to her heart.

I looked down to the human watching her vitals on a computer screen.

"How is she?" I asked.

"She's…not very good. She lost a lot of blood, the connective tissue and muscles between many of her ribs has been damaged, making it hard for her to breathe. And of course her skin tissue has been seriously damaged. But she would have survived that…"

"Then what the hell is wrong with her?" I growled.

"It was far too cold in that room. Her entire internal torso was exposed to fifty degree temperatures for quite some time, the ride here was kept cold to slow the flow of blood. It was that or have her bleed to death there. They didn't know how long she had been in there…she has hypothermia, and…her core temperature has severely dropped."

No...That would almost always mean death for humans; any other living thing would be killed by that too.

"She's only running about seventy-four degrees. We're doing all we can, but in my opinion…she's…not going to wake up."

At that I turned my back to him and walked in through the wall, though he continued to talk.

The room was uncomfortably warm. It seemed absurd that she would need blankets in this heat. I stood over the girl; she was curled up, knees close to her body and arms across her chest in a self-embrace, shifting the IV needles around. She trembled violently, trying to shake away the cold that was coming from inside her. I could smell death on her, lingering in the room and ready to claim its pathetic little victim.

Wouldn't wake up…she'd die in only a few days. I had killed the vampire, but I was too late to save her.

I took off my coat, laying it over the three layers of blankets. It was almost a reflex, now. I knew it wouldn't help her, but I felt I had to do something. I should have risked trying to keep her warm and not have worried about damaging the blood vessels…

I stood, watching her. That was the first time my coat hadn't stopped the sleeping girl from shivering. I tried to read her mind, but only found nothingness. It didn't mean she was dead, only that she had receded into a far corner of her mind, somewhere I couldn't reach without causing her pain by trying to dig through her consciousness or actually draining her.

I put my hand on her cheek, running my thumb over her delicate eyelid. I lifted it up, revealing her pale blue-green eye. Unfocusing and motionless, displaying no emotion, I knew she was almost gone.

Never again would she curl up next to me, nuzzling against my chest, so wonderfully warm, trusting me completely not to hurt her. I'd never feel her shudder in pleasure when I touched her bare neck. The intoxicating scent of her blood would be lost in days, if not hours.

I wrapped my arms around her, lifting her up and pressing my ear to her chest, over her heart. Her skin, despite all efforts, was still chilled. Her heart beat unevenly.

What was this pain shocking through my chest? Was it…grief? No, even humans could erase that emotion. It was ridiculous that I should _mourn_ a human's pain and death. Humans all die. The only reason I should be sad that one would die is if I didn't get to eat it. The only two exceptions to this rule would be my master and Walter. But this girl should not be…not with the way she smelled.

And true, I _do_ want to eat her. Even now, the sound of her heart and the scent of her blood made my mouth water. But somehow, she managed to provoke a desire to keep her safe.

I put her back down, fixing the blankets back over her. I decided to leave my coat there as I moved towards the door.

If she didn't show improvement in a matter of hours, I'd kill her. It seemed merciful; she was in such pain…and it would be better than watching her die slowly over a few days…

Though, in all honesty, maybe part of me wasn't interested in mercy at all. Maybe I was just sick of living with such vulnerable and tempting prey…

* * *

In eight hours I went back. Nothing had changed.

Integra had agreed to my decision. I had full permission to devour the helpless little creature. And no doubt, once I had the slightest taste of her blood, I'd have to stop myself from tearing her apart and making a mess. But right now, I was feeling…hesitant? What the hell am I thinking?

I looked her over. Though none of her characteristic whimpers were heard, I knew she was pained. If the paralyzing coldness and inability to really breathe wasn't enough, the burn of her skin shifting around over her torn muscles and the stitches tearing at her flesh must have been unbearable.

I gently pushed her onto her back, brushing her hair away from her neck. I plucked the IVs out of her vein, being careful not to cause any further damage for some reason.

Lifting her upper body, I let her head fall back, giving me full access to the soft flesh of her neck. I watched the pulse on her throat for a minute, almost able to see the blood rushing through her veins.

I leaned down to gently press my lips to her cheek.

"I'm sorry, little one." I whispered to her, letting these human impulses come through for her, for the last time.

Tracing my lips down her face and to her neck, I opened my mouth. My canine teeth were the only ones that I left pointed, though before long I knew I would have her neck in shreds. I sunk them slowly into her jugular and carotid with experienced precision, her delicious blood immediately rushing into my mouth. My hands flew up to grip her shoulders, a reflex to prevent my prey from escaping. I struggled to keep my other teeth from forming into fangs and ripping into her. I drank from her slowly, beginning to forget everything else about her, other than the incredible taste of her blood, in my euphoric state. She had a slightly medicinal taste, but it didn't bother me at all. I could feel her already fragile life draining away from her. I wrapped my shadows around her, unable to think of her rotting in the ground. She certainly had some interesting abilities…she may make a good familiar. My other fangs formed and began to sink into her neck as they grew.

At that I heard a slight whimper and felt a weak tug on my suit. Her thoughts came flooding into my mind, shrieked with such urgency and no pauses that it seemed to be one word.

_'Oh God Alucard stop it I can feel that I'm not dead the doctors the morphine please Alucard stop it hurts I'm still alive oh God don't kill me let go they did this Alucard don't do this please' _

I nearly choked.


	43. Aware

* * *

A/N: Aaaaand we're back!

Oh poor Pura. How many more times is Alucard gonna try and kill her? Is it twelve? Is it zero? Well I know. BUT YOU DON'T! AHAHAHAHA-_cough cough_

Ok-picking this back up. We're starting just after Pura regained her awareness after Alucard stopped with his hypnotizing thing going on. Basically right when she got into the ambulance.

Many were wondering why the doctors wanted her dead. Well if we got to figure 'A'(which is just chapter 26), we can see that the doctors wanted to experiment on her. They're mean people and evidently just don't like Pura. Aw so many people hate Pura… Maybe I'm painting them as bad 'cause I hate going to the doctor, but whatever. MOVING ON!

Um…no one seemed to notice in the last chapter that he kissed her…twice. TWICE. Just kinda overlooked that, hm? YOU GUYS DON'T PAY ATTENTION! TWO, COUNT 'EM TWO…marshmallows…

I researched more medical stuff…I knew about it already, but I needed me some statistics.

If you're offended by the word 'tits', don't read the first little smidgen of the chapter. Because they're not talking about birds. Again, nothing graphic, but I wanna warn you before everyone gets all up in my grill. Stay out of my grill, people!

B/N: JEN, I'M DEEPLY OFFENDED BY 'TITS' AND ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE. I'M REPORTING YOU TO THE POST-MASTER GENERAL.

A/N: I TOLD YOU TO STAY OUTTA MY FUCKIN' GRILL WOMAN! IMA POP SOME CAPS IN YO ASS IF YO RATTIN' ME OUT TO THA PO-POS!

* * *

Everything fucking hurts.

I could feel pain, and not much else. How fun is that? For once I wished Alucard had kept his hypnosis going. My torso burned hideously. I thought there was still some alcohol on me. I imagined the muscles and tissue must have been blackened and charred by the way I felt, but I couldn't smell the heavy scent, similar to nail-polish remover. I could barely breathe, and couldn't even twitch my fingers.

Why was it so cold…? My body ached as I shook, trying curl up involuntarily. But something was keeping me strapped down…was I still in that awful rotting building?!

Then I heard voices.

"Jesus…look at that." Came the first voice. I recognized it as Harris, one of the medical staff. I never really talked to him, but I would say 'hi' if I saw him in the hall. "How much blood d'ya think she lost?"

"Hell I don't know." Steve. I only knew him enough to know his name. He never really talked to me, but I knew he didn't like me. He was one of the guys who treated me after Alucard attacked me, and he always gave me loathsome glares for some reason.

"Yeah really, Hare, who's thinking about her blood? Or are you just not used to tits outside of a computer screen?" I didn't know who this was, but I swear to God I'm going to gouge his fucking eyes out.

_If I survive this…_

No. I'm going to live through this. The only thing wrong is that I've lost some blood. I've lived through that before.

Why the hell is it so Goddamn cold!?

"Ha. Yeah right." Steve scoffed. Hypocritical on my part maybe, but that sounded kind of insulting. "If you can get off on demon tits."

"So the chick has wings. That could be kind of kinky." Um, hi. I'm sixteen, how are you? Oh, pedophile, that's nice.

Oh hey, here's an idea; since I'm in an ambulance and everything, how about some fucking medical care?

"It's not just the wings; she's a bloody monster." What…? What did I ever do to him? "Neither of you had to take care of the beast when the vampire ripped her up. I'm sure you've heard that she was out for three weeks? Well you should have heard her. The thing was snarling and growling like an animal. I only heard her do it once, and that was enough. I walked in the room and she was arched up from the bed, clawing at the sheets. She whipped her head towards me and her fucking eyes were glowing, raver-glowstick-neon-blue glowing. She snarled once and collapsed back down. The little bitch shouldn't have been able to make any noise, much less growl like that; that other monster shredded her vocal chords." What? Where the hell was I when this happened? All I can remember from that time is all of those…nightmares…

I couldn't have growled, and my eyes certainly didn't glow blue! Why would my eyes glow? And when I wasn't even able to move? What the hell is this guy trying to pull?

"Steve have you been smoking crack? I saw her when the vampire brought her in; she could barely move. And how is it that no one else saw this?" Exactly! Harris was the only one making sense around here!

"She's a little monster, and that's all I care about. For the love of Christ, have you seen how that thing's been training her? Now when she snaps she can rip us apart with that ice. Think about that and tell me she's not some unnatural demon." I take it this guy's not a fan of Alucard either…he's not a 'thing'…and I'm not unnatural, am I?

"You think she's gonna snap?" Oh, Mr. Pedo speaks up again.

"Yes. She's going to lose it, and that vampire won't do a damn thing about it. He's going to stand there and laugh as she tears through us all."

"She's not gonna go crazy…" Why did Harris sound unsure…?

"Not if I have anything to say about it she won't." What do you have to say about it you asshole?

"What do you mean?"

"I mean look at her. She can't do a damn thing, thanks to that monster's revolting hypnosis. She can't fight back. They're not going to do a tox screen or autopsy if she dies; he injuries are too obvious, and the vampire sure as hell won't let them mutilate her further. And say maybe someone gives her a little too much morphine."

What?! No! Oh God I can't move! I tried to escape, with no results at all. They're gonna kill me! Alucard what the fuck are you doing?!

"If she dies before we get there they're gonna suspect something, and Alucard's gonna find out. You know it was him who fucked up Thomas when he stepped forward to experiment. You're not too secretive about not liking her, Steve, and you were supportive of Thomas." They're agreeing with him?! Wait…'experiment'? What experiment?

"We can wait…let them stitch her up, even. But as soon as the surgeons take their eyes off her, we can OD her. _Just_ enough to kill her, not immediately, but eventually. It'll just look like hypothermia." Why can't I fucking move?!

"Jesus…" someone said. I'm not sure which one; their voice was a little weird.

I was able to make a quiet whimper after much trying.

"Just knock her out…" Harris murmured.

I heard some clattering, and felt a tiny pinch on my arm under all the other pain. Then there was nothing.

* * *

After what seemed like no time at all, I was aware again.

But I wish I wasn't.

I thought something was tearing me apart again. Something was tugging at my skin, stabbing it so many times…

And it was still so cold…

I could hear them. "Scissors." Someone said in a commanding tone, followed by light clattering. It dawned on me they were surgeons, stitching me up. But why was I awake? Shouldn't some type of anesthesia be administered?

Had it worn off just enough for them not to notice, but not enough to let me move? I've heard stories like that, waking up under anesthesia. Something like one out of every thousand patients wake up like this…lucky me. You can't move at all, can't speak, and in some cases, can even be thought to be dead. Your eyes won't contract if lights are shined into them, and your heartbeat goes faint. But if they're still operating on me, that hasn't happened.

I could only lie in agony until it stopped.

The awful cutting and piercing and ripping finally ceased, and they moved me onto a gurney. Rather roughly, may I add.

Once they put me in a cot my body was able to curl up like it had been straining to. My arms curled around my chest, and my head bent down; I could feel my breath on my arms…but…my breath was cold on my skin; not warm and damp like deep breaths should be. Rather, this was as if someone had filled my lungs with ice.

I lied there, still unable to move. I had currently stopped trying, just taking the time to rest. I was tired, maybe from all the effort trying to break the paralysis and maybe from the after-effects of the anesthesia. Whatever the reason, it felt good to drift between being awake and sleep.

My fears of being poisoned by the doctors were momentarily forgotten in this relative peacefulness. Even the worrying presence of this freezing coldness was pushed to the back of my mind.

My ears pricked back up when I heard the door open. Steve's cold voice hissed from the doorway.

"Okay you little fucking monster…How much will kill you, freak?" Oh…God…

I heard a light clinking noise…him tapping the hypodermic needle, maybe? I strained against the paralysis with no avail.

He tugged on the IV needles. I managed a quiet squeaking noise.

"Shut up you abomination."

After that, I fell asleep.

Well, it wasn't exactly sleep, but it was close enough. It was dark, and quiet. There was no pain wherever I was, and it was pleasantly warm. It seemed like a peaceful little room, and I was curled up comfortably on the bed there. Compared to my recent experiences, it was blissful.

My quiet, dark little room was suddenly flooded with blinding white light, pain, freezing cold, and noise.

There was slight pressure over my eye, and I panicked momentarily, thinking I was back in the rotting hospital, about to be exposed to some new hideous torture.

But it was too bright…and the hand holding my eye open was far too gentle to be that vampire's. I wished I could see who the hand belonged too, but the light just continued to blind me, searing my mind. My eye refused to focus or move away from the light.

I was finally released, and I tried to slip back to that little quiet room. But I felt something moving around me. It lifted me up and pressed against my chest; its temperature was neutral, not very noticeable. I wasn't sure if it was warm or cold against me. But it was soft and fluffy…and it tickled my face…As I breathed I caught the scent of something familiar…

My mind sharpened so fast it was almost painful. The agony stopped alarmingly quickly. Alu-?!

The comforting scent and beautifully soft material moved away, and the comprehension was lost. I wanted it back…I wanted to beg whatever that was to return and restore that secure feeling. To take away the pain like it had. To bring me back from this blackness. My heart ached for it to reappear and save me from what was certainly going to be death.

But it didn't. It just left me alone.

I returned to the dark room, but now longed to get out. Now that I had been partially reminded of what was real, it lingered in my foggy mind.

I was aware of the hours passing. The agonizingly long hours. When would I wake up? Was I going to wake up at all?

I was suddenly brought back to reality by someone picking me up. It was easier to wake up this time…had I beaten this poisoning? I tried to move: nothing. My head bent back uncomfortably, but of course there wasn't much I could do about it.

That soft fluff brushed across my face again, lingering there for a few moments. I remembered this time.

Alucard.

The tall vampire who saved my life more than once.

Who just revived me from death.

Who I was hopelessly in love with.

What was he doing? I tried desperately to speak to him, but couldn't make my vocal chords respond.

He spoke. I didn't realize how much I missed the low, silky, sound. "I'm sorry, little one."

Sorry for what…?

It was only when he traced his lips down my face and to my exposed neck that I noticed he had been touching me. Wait…he was right at my cheek…had he-

His fangs sunk into my neck.

He was going to kill me!? Why?!

He was biting down hard, his hands moving up to crush my shoulders, or so it felt. I heard no snap, but I knew it had to be coming.

I tried to scream, tried to fight. My body refused to obey me.

Freezing ropes wrapped around me painfully. His shadows? They never hurt before…not like this.

I mentally screamed my pleas, but he ignored me.

Then I felt his other teeth break the skin. My body burned as that horribly familiar feeling tore into me.

That made a response, if it was only a small one. I tugged on his suit and whimpered, the begging I tried to shriek never stopping in my mind.

His body jerked, then relaxed, still biting down on me.

'_Alucard stop please stop'_ I continued mentally.

I would have gone on, but I was cut off by a single low, snarling word echoing in my mind that made my blood freeze more than it already was.

'_Why?'_


	44. Sadistic Bastard

A/N: Sorry bout that. That last chapter was not supposed to end like that, it was supposed to include this chapter. But I got there and was like 'oh hey, ya know what would make a good cliffy? THIS THING RIGHT HERE!'

AH! FUNIMATION'S SITE HAS OVA 4 CLIP! IN ENGLISH! I-! THEY-! OH GOD I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY! EEEEEEE! HE SOUNDS SO SCARY! HE SOUNDS SO SEXY! GAH!

Also, people. I'd like you to meet my friend. His name is 'Look At How Many Chapters Pura Was Bitten And Didn't Become A Vampire; This Is Because She _Cannot_ Become A Vampire'. I'm surprised how many of you haven't met him yet. Acquaint yourselves, and stop suggesting it.

You see? Many problems can be solved with sarcasm.

This is my little spoiler-free island. And you of the spoilers ARE PROHIBITED FROM SETTING FOOT ON IT! DO YOU FUCKING HEAR ME YOU SOULLESS BASTARDS?! KEEP THE FUCK AWAY! EVERY TIME I FIND SPOILERS I LOSE THE FUCKING WILL TO WRITE, WHOSE FAULT IS THAT?! YOURS! SO FUCK OFF!

Well, my sister fucked up my laptop. How nice. THANKS A LOT. I can't even get on the fucking internet. I'm really fucking pissed. First she gets spyware on the main computer, now she has to fuck with my laptop. Not the house's laptop, oh no. The laptop I received for my birthday, she gets me a virus. And it's not like she's 6. She's 28. And she's getting viruses on my computer. Thanks.

B/N: Jen went to the animal rescue center, as she does every Saturday. SO IT'S UP TO ME TO DELIVER THIS CHAPTER UNTO YOU KIDS! MARIE, BETA SUPREME! AWAYYYYYY!

* * *

I panicked, as most would. I tried bringing my arm up to at least make an effort to push him off me, but his shadows held me still.

"A-Alucard…" I said in a choked whisper as my vision blurred.

He growled, the sound rumbling against my neck.

I struggled as best as I could, already feeling tired. Nothing worked. I was only able to lie in agony as he sucked the life from me. He shifted slightly, moving close to me. I made a whimpering squeak in place of screaming. I could _feel_ my blood being drained—could feel him drinking.

My muscles spasmed, and I heard a sharp 'crack' from somewhere to my left. At the sound, Alucard gasped, and then my world went black.

* * *

I had to be dead. There's no way that, combined with the injuries I had, I could have survived that. Alucard wouldn't have stopped anyway.

But I could hear the beeping of heart monitors, a sound that was becoming increasingly familiar. Was I…alive? How is that even possible?!

I hesitantly opened my eyes, fearing what I would see.

Well, blinding florescent lights. That's what I saw. Awesome.

I promptly shut my eyes again. I decided I did not want to assess my surrounds without first assessing myself. I gently bent my wrist up, which I found to be painless. I began to lift my arm to feel my neck, but the tug of the IV needles stopped me.

I tried to lift my other arm, but was stopped when pain shot through my shoulder.

I suppose I had no choice but to try to move my neck and find out how bad it really was.

I turned my head to the side, being met with only a dull ache rather than shocking agony. I opened my eyes while I was at it and not staring directly into something blinding.

I didn't know whether to be disgusted or happy with what I saw.

Alucard, sitting in a chair at the opposite end of the room, sleeping. Was he trying to protect me from the doctors, or was he waiting to hurt me more?

I glared at the sleeping vampire. I don't know why I wasn't terrified like I should be. Maybe it was because my neck didn't actually hurt so badly, or maybe because he made himself stop. Either way, I was still angry with him, just not horrified…yet. I'll probably get around to that.

Ignoring the pain of the IV needles, I chucked my pillow at him, waking him. He stared at me, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Why the fuck did you do that to me!?" I yelled, my voice a little raspy.

He smiled despite my obvious anger. "You're awake…"

"Am I not supposed to be…?"

He got up and walked toward my bed, carrying the pillow with him. I didn't fight him when he lifted my head and re-positioned the pillow under it.

I looked up at him in confusion as he just stood there, staring at me. It was beginning to feel awkward. He gently ran his fingertips through my hair and his hand came to a rest on the side of my neck; it actually felt cold this time, I noted.

I didn't know what to ask him. Why had he bitten me? Why did he stop when it was so clear he wanted to kill me? Is it possible that I had dreamt the whole thing?

"What's going on?" I finally asked. I truly had no idea what was happening, and even less of a notion to the reasons behind them.

"I suppose you do deserve an explanation. I had thought you were going to die. Rather than let you lie in pain for days I though it'd be easier to just end it for you… Then when I heard you—realized you were still able to be saved—I lost my senses. To have you wake up, begging to be spared when you were so close to being mine… It was infuriating." He looked away, giving me the idea that he was questioning the reason he stopped. He turned back and went on. "When I your snapped collarbone, the sound 'woke me up', so to speak. It was an outside sound, other than your pleading, and it caught my attention. It was the same snap that any other prey of mine's collarbone would have, and that's not what you are… You went into shock after that, and have been unconscious for the past three days."

Maybe giving this much information to someone who has apparently been unconscious for three days is a bad idea. I tried to take in all of this as best as I could, and ended up deciding to be pissed off and/or terrified out of my mind at Alucard later.

"You were here for three days?"

"Only at night, when no one competent was watching you. I'm not letting those doctors near you. I understand they overdosed you, and I can read their minds to find out who they are, but you're going to have to tell Integra who they are before I can go slaughter them for doing this to you. She doesn't want me killing the staff without valid reason. She's well aware that I would happily kill quite a few of them, and wants to hear the accusation from you."

I absentmindedly let my hand drift up to check for any damage on my neck while he was talking. I felt a cut, slightly off from my scar and not nearly as severe or deep. It was barely noticeable and didn't hurt, which I was incredibly thankful for.

He noticed this. "It won't leave a scar as big as the other one. I healed your neck quickly. It didn't take as long; surprisingly you weren't in as bad shape as the last time you were seriously hurt. Other than the hypothermia, your actual injuries weren't nearly as bad as what I did to you before."

"You're proud of that, aren't you?" I asked, glaring a little.

He grinned. "Perhaps." He purred; I had to suppress a shiver at the sound of his voice. Maybe I shouldn't forgive him so fast…but in some way of looking at it, he only bit me to help me. He didn't want me to be in pain…I _think_ he was sorry. And he healed me immediately, or so it seemed.

He yawned, his fangs seeming to get longer as he did. I should stop asking him questions and let him go to sleep…I looked down at the blanket, feeling bad for not only waking him up, but keeping him up. Though I knew my reasons to be perfectly justified (bastard tried to eat me…again), I didn't want to be annoying to him.

"Don't stay awake because of me…" I said quietly.

"I'm not going to leave you alone to be overdosed again. I can hear that bastard waiting for you to be alone so he can try again. And due to the fact that my very presence makes him run away like the coward he is, I'm staying here."

I peeked at the chair he had been sleeping on. It didn't look very comfortable. He followed my gaze, and looked back at me with a smirk.

"That's can't be nice to sleep on…"

He grinned. "Are you suggesting an alternative?"

The question caught me off-guard and I felt my face turn red. Great, I haven't even been awake ten minutes and he's already making me blush like mad. And I _would_ suggest things…but I don't like having my neck snapped, thanks.

"Do you think that's a good idea? You only just recovered from hypothermia…you don't want it to come back, do you?" He asked, still grinning.

"…Maybe I do…" I couldn't help but reply, instantly regretting the lack of brain-to-vocal cords filter.

He laughed. "Alright then. I suppose keeping away from you would only slow your return to normalcy." He carefully slid onto the small bed over the blankets, being wary of the IV tubes.

Despite his caution, I winced at the pain in my shoulder as the bed shifted. He frowned.

"I just can't seem to go very long without breaking you…" He murmured, it almost sounded like he was sad…

He got up and walked to one of the cabinets on the wall.

"What're you doing?"

He didn't reply, merely turned and showed what he had retrieved from the cabinet.

I paled at the sight of the long and shiny needle he held.

He laughed as he approached me. "There's a vampire who very recently tried to kill you in the room, and you fear a needle." He shook his head, amused.

"I'll be afraid of you later, I promise, just stay away from me with that thing. Can I get out of this with emotional damage? I _was_ just overdosed, you know."

"I won't overdose you; I know exactly how much you can handle. Besides, I don't even need to find a vein, these IVs are quite convenient."

I still shut my eyes as he got near me, but I could tell when the drug hit my bloodstream. The dull sting on my shoulder and the noticeable pain crisscrossing my torso dissipated. Not to mention I felt tired very quickly. I opened my eyes and slumped in the bed.

I looked up to see Alucard leaning over me, inhaling deeply, his eyes closed. His lips parted slightly, as if tasting the air.

He opened his eyes slowly. They burned a shocking blood-red that would make one's heart stop, or at least slam hard enough that it thudded in your ears. He grinned down at me; not an amused smile, but a blood-maddened show of horrifying teeth. And he had just sedated me…I couldn't fight back…

I shivered in fear under his piercing gaze.

"So nervous…" he murmured, his expression toning down to a more relaxed, though still a reasonably frightening, smile. "I won't harm you. I'm just…happy, I suppose. I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to smell your blood again, running hot and sweet through your veins, while you were alive and awake. There's quite a difference between you, unconscious and cold, compared to now. Your scent is so much more...intensified." He moved closer, and I felt the needles in my arm slide out.

"Hey, don't I need those?"

"You'll be fine without them for a little while." He purred and once more got into the bed.

I couldn't even stop myself from turning on my side to hug him. I ignored the pain of pressure on my injuries, which I felt even through the drugs. I was a little worried about annoying him with my impulsiveness; would my childish actions warrant fangs tearing through my neck?

No, they would not. He wrapped his arms around me, keeping away from my shoulder. He gently held me to his chest, seeming happy to be close to me. He was, like always, cold. But not in a way that reminded me of the hypothermia. Strangely, this was somehow…comforting.

I nuzzled into the terrifying vampire's suit as he carefully turned onto his back, bringing me with him. His fingers traced along the raised diagonal mark slashing across my back, the tattoo-like image of my wings rising with it, uninterrupted.

"So…which of your traumatizing experiences hurt more?" He asked; obviously one for dark humor. Or maybe he didn't like to be outdone, but both may have been factors.

I thought for a moment, but didn't really need to even through my drug-fogged mind. "Yours, the first time. No contest."

He chuckled. "Good."

'_Sadistic bastard.' _ I thought.

"I heard that." He purred. An admittance of sadism sounding irresistible. I'm just rapidly going downhill, aren't I?

I rested the side of my head on his chest, deciding to push away the thoughts of my own hopelessness in favor of sleep. Though I knew his heart to be unbeating, it was so strange to hear silence with my ear pressed to the place where it should be.

"Something wrong, my dear?" Alucard's voice broke the silence in his chest, startling me a little.

I shook my head to answer. No, nothing was wrong. Though the reason behind this situation may not have been a favorable one, I certainly adored the outcome.

His thumb traced little circles on the back of my neck. I wondered how much he had to control himself to not press a little harder and break my neck.

My mind was flickering between happiness and rightful fear. I didn't know which side to listen to. I really wanted to trust him, but…this was the second time he tried to kill me and inflicted serious damage. I knew next time I wouldn't be so lucky to survive it, and I knew there _had_ to be a 'next time'. Something else would go badly, whether he merely lost control, or I did something wrong, he'd try to kill me again, and succeed.

Which brought up another troubling thought keeping me from sleep. What if I really had acted like Steve said? What the hell am I…? It scared me…if this wasn't even a conscious behavior, what if I did something? Would I…snap? Start killing _people_?

"No." Alucard said sharply, bringing me back to reality with another jolt. "Even if you really did do this, I can help you work it to your advantage; help you control it. I won't let it take you over and make you do something to warrant getting killed. Now, stop putting more stress on your body and go to sleep. Fighting the drugs will have negative effects on you."

I looked up at him. "But—" my protests were cut off as he put his finger to my lips in a 'shush' gesture. He didn't say anything about the former worry…

"Quiet. You're going to sleep, whether on your own or whether I have to put you to sleep."

"You always think you can win by cheating." I muttered.

"Because I _can_ win by 'cheating'." He said, smirking.

I exhaled angrily. He chuckled and pulled me up until I was almost eye-level with him. He put his mouth close to my ear, and I shivered at his frozen breath. "Relax. You'll wake up tomorrow, I promise. I won't hurt you, and no one else would dare try." He whispered.

He began singing quietly, something I came to understand he reserved only for times that I was severely upset. Could he actually care about me…?

I wasn't able to wonder for very long; something in his voice demanded that I sleep, and I was incapable of disobeying the silken baritone melody.

In no time at all I was pulled into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

A/N: Blarg I'm so late.

(B/N: IS SHE PREGNANT!?oneone!11/1/1/1/1/1!?11Oneone!?1/1/solidusonesolidusone/!?/1/1/1/1?!/1/11!!interrobanginterrobanginterrobangsolidusonesolidusone!?/1/1/1/.1?1/1/1/1/?!)

I'm sorry.

Damn school. Book-learnin's for city-folk.

Anyway, did anyone catch 'True Blood' on HBO? The pilot aired last Sunday, and it looks promising. Though all the southern accents were wearing on my nerves, I can't ignore a good vampire show.

I'm throwing a Hellsing OVA 4 party. I'd invite you people if you lived near here, but you don't, so I'm sad.

Still it's gonna be friggin awesome. Im'a make cookies, and Jimmie's gonna make cake, and Marie, you can make that sorry excuse for brownies like you made for my birthday party. But don't let anyone eat them. AND THEN THERE WILL BE SO MUCH HELLSING, ALL OF OUR HEADS WILL SIMPLY EXPLODE IN SHEER JOY!

Now I'm going to bed. Then I'm going to hot topic and buying Halloween accessories, namely snap-on fangs. Wish me luck.

B/N: I want all of you to say, in every one of your reviews for this chapter: Jen is a dirty, dirty, dench. That winder shattered!

Don't question it. Just do your little review, and then say that. Please do it for me! It will be much fun for myself and Jen. And when she gets home and reads that her reviews will say that, she'll both a) laugh hysterically. And b) murder me.

DO IT FOR ME!


	45. Creepshow

A/N: Ya know what I just noticed? Flyleaf wins. Bunches. Uber-room cleaning going on for Jen. Damn, where did I get so much _stuff_?! Anyways, I'm painting my room a pale purple. It's like sky-blue now.

Ok get focused, Jen, no one cares about your skanky room.

Oh, hey, ya know what's fun? Screaming children. That's what I'm hearing. My nephew is a devil-child, and it's way too late at night for me to be putting up with this shit.

Ummm…if anyone ever has the chance to watch 'Dark Corners'- don't. Ok? Just…don't. I'm not even gonna write anything about it, other than it was perhaps the biggest waste of two hours of my life, ever.

IIIIIn other news; OH GOD HELLSING FOUR GOT HERE EARLY! LIKE ON THE 20TH YOU GUYS! HOLY FRIGGING EFFING FRIG IT'S EPIC!

One thing: CHOKIN ON A BREADSTICK!

If you understand that; GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE! STALKER!

Sooo that's why this took so long- sheer joy got in my way. Also I got sick…

B/N: Also because you're a dirty, dirty dench, and THAT WINDER SHATTERED!

My room is awesome.

And Dark Corners was awful, I confirm it right nizzle.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, everything was black.

Though it wasn't the environment; something was pressed against my face, blocking out my vision. It was soft, pitch-black, and smelled nice.

Alucard's suit.

I pulled my face away from it, but didn't get much farther. He had his arms around me, which hurt now that the drugs had worn off.

"Get off!" I gasped, the burning pain that made its way across my torso in neat little surgical cuts slowly returning from its sleep-numbed state. I tried to push away from him with my right arm, the left being stopped by the awful sting of my broken collarbone.

"Hm?" He mumbled sleepily, opening his crimson eyes and glancing down at me. I gave him a helpless and begging look. "Ah, right." He let me go, his arms disappearing from around me rather abruptly. I fell the tiny distance back down to the bed, landing and putting pressure on my injured shoulder.

I yelped in pain and curled up reflexively, reaching up to protect the broken bone. I shut my eyes in pain.

Alucard disappeared from my side in an instant. I wondered vaguely where he went and opened one eye to peek around the room- he was gone.

The second I registered he had left; he was back in the room, just suddenly 'there'. Cold fingertips on my other shoulder pushed me onto my back and bent my head to the side. A wave of terror went through me: was he going to bite me again?!

I whimpered and tightly closed my eyes. I nearly screamed in surprise at the sudden freezing coldness that was put on my shoulder.

An…ice pack? It numbed the pain quite well, actually…

I looked up to his smirk. "Did you think I was going to bite you?"

"It's not like that's unheard of." I snapped.

He laughed. "I suppose it's not. Anyway, I thought this would be better than pumping you full of drugs. We don't want you getting addicted. You little druggie, you've already OD'd." He grinned. I glared.

"And whose fault is that?" Mr. I'm-gonna-take-like-five-hours-to-show-back-up-and-when-I-do-I'm-gonna-rip-your-throat-out?

"That's exactly what I'd like to address today."

Ah, so that's the agenda. I debated whether to turn Harris in. True, he _knew_ about the whole 'let's kill Pura' plan, but he didn't carry it out.

"I'm going to kill Steve. I trust you have no qualms with this? Even if you do, I'm still going to slaughter him, so it doesn't really matter." Alucard said in a tone that sounded bored as he slipped the IV needles back into my arm, to my utter dismay.

"Hell no I don't care. He tried to kill me damn it! What, do you expect an argument?!"

His fangs flashed as he grinned. "Good, good. Now then, I'm going to alert Integra that you're up, and you can tell her who has done what so I can tear him apart. If, in the short time that I'm gone, anyone comes in and tries to give you any drugs, refuse them. If they try to force it on you—scream; I'll have my fangs in their throat before you can blink." That shouldn't have sounded as reassuring as it did.

He disappeared. I waited, nervous at the thought of someone coming in and trying to drug me.

After a while the door handle rattled slightly, making me jump. I leaned back defensively in the bed, ready to scream and/or claw someone's eyes out. The door creaked open and I held my breath.

Integra walked in, Alucard behind her, smirking as always. She stood at the side of the bed; looking down at me and making me feel smaller than I already am. I felt a little nervous; it seemed to me she was glaring, but that's just kind of how she always looks. I guess being pestered by Alucard for years gives you a permanent glare, and it's not hard to see why.

"Pura, it's good to see you've recovered. I understand that some members of the medical staff under my employ need to be taught a lesson. Who are they? Understand that few of these men have families. With such a high mortality rate that accompanies hunting monsters having close relatives is troublesome for the men themselves and for us."

Screw it, Harris knew about this and could have stopped it. "Steve did it, Harris knew about it, and…there was another guy…but I didn't recognize his voice…sorry, Sir."

"That's good enough; the other will turn up eventually." She turned to Alucard "Alucard, you may kill Steve. As for Harris…I don't normally condone you disturbing the minds of the soldiers, but I'll make an exception this time. Don't do anything permanent. I'm going to fire him afterwards. If you find the other one responsible you may do the same. I want to be clear that you can attack those who were aware of this plan before it was carried out, no one else. That's an order."

Alucard grinned and bowed, overjoyed at the thought of torturing. What a creepshow.

Integra turned and left. Alucard glided towards my bed, an action I watched warily. He was freaking me out…

"Ah, thank you my dear. Your ever present wide-eyed nervousness persuaded Integra to let me torment the minds of two humans and slaughter another."

"You're really creepy, has anyone ever told you that?" I was being sarcastic, but really, he should tone down the scary.

He chuckled and reached towards my neck. I gasped and tried to jump back, but he caught me anyway.

It wasn't my neck he grabbed; his hand merely tilted my head up to look at him. His eyes began to glow and I struggled to get away.

"What the hell are you doing?! I just woke up for God sakes!"

"You woke up after only three hours because the drugs wore off. You need to rest." He said, stopping my resistance easily. "Furthermore I'm not wasting time going after the bastards that hurt you. I'm going to kill him right here in the medical ward…and there are some things seriously injured little girls shouldn't hear." He purred, grinning frighteningly.

No, I don't think I want to hear whatever was going to happen. I stopped my fighting and looked into his eyes.

He laughed as I fell asleep, apparently happy with the power he held over me.

* * *

I woke up…Well, I don't know how long I had been asleep, but it probably wasn't very long. I really wish there was a clock in here somewhere. For lack of anything better to do, I tried to fall back asleep, but failed at that. I hadn't been waiting long before I sat up at the feeling of the bed dipping down next to me.

I shrieked at the shock of the vampire grinning in my face, though I really should have seen that coming.

"Awake already?" He asked.

I didn't answer, disturbed at the blood speckled on his pale lips. He noticed what I was distracted by, and erased it, his tongue flicking out quickly.

"He'll never bother you again." Alucard purred, making a shiver of fear going through me. How close had I come to sharing that fate…?

"Go back to sleep you jumpy little creature." He chuckled, sliding into the bed next to me.

I buried my face in the pillow to defend against any sort of hypnosis.

I felt his arm gently wrap around me, pulling me closer despite my nervousness.

"While I love fresh blood, he didn't taste very good…and the shocking comparison of your blood is just making that more obvious." I tensed as his breath spread across my neck. He laughed. "I won't hurt you, so don't worry. That was a compliment, not a threat. At least…not yet," His fingertips traced up my spine, cold through the thin hospital pajama-like outfit I was forced to wear, making me inhale sharply.

His smirking lips touched my neck, and my nails dug into the bed, when the door handle rattled. I felt him frown.

He moved away, glaring at the door. When it cracked open he got up and stalked over to it. Woe upon whoever opens that door…

The guy who walked in flinched in terror at the unexpected vampire looming over him.

"Come back later." Alucard ordered.

"Ah, right, but…she needs some…of—"

"YOU!" I shrieked. Both Alucard and the guy looked back at me, surprised.

"Huh?" He asked.

"You're the pedophile! You son of a bitch!" I had recognized his voice.

His eyes widened in shock; an instant later he was being held against the wall, well off the ground by the white gloved hand around his neck. The metal tray he had walked in with clattered to the floor, pills spilling everywhere.

"I swear I didn't do anything! She's lying! I'm just an orderly; I've never done anything to her!" He babbled, nearly incoherent.

"Oh, shut up." Alucard snarled, his grip tightening. His eyes burned fiery red and reflected in the man's own terror-wide eyes.

Suddenly, he stopped breathing. Then his breath picked back up with horrible screaming.

I flinched back from the sound, which Alucard noticed. He dragged the screaming man, who was no doubt seeing some horrible things right now, outside of the room.

I pressed the pillow to my ears, unwilling to hear any more of that. At this point I got a peek at my wrists. A wide purple bruise circled both of them; from the shackles. There must be similar marks on my ankles, but it would be too painful to contort to get a good look right now. I wondered what my shoulders looked like; on broken, the other feeling horribly bruised if not slightly fractured.

After what felt like forever, the muffled shrieks stopped, and something outside the room thumped heavily to the floor. Alucard's footsteps sounded on the tiles inside the room, and I looked out of the pillow I had taken refuge in.

I peeked warily up at the vampire smiling down at me.

"There now." He murmured "You've got nothing more to worry about. He's in no condition to make threats or inappropriate comments to you. And he wouldn't try it either." I hadn't even noticed he had picked up a needle until he started injecting it into my IV. He waited a few seconds until I was affected, and then pulled out the IVs.

Alucard climbed into the bed for the third time. He drew my sleepy and helpless form closer, grin-exposed fangs coming within inches of my neck as he breathed in the scent of my blood.

"Alucard…?" I somehow managed to ask, breathless.

"Yes?"

"Why do you…care so much? To so viciously pursue those guys…for me?" I have no idea why I asked this. Why push my good fortune?

He was silent for a few second before answering. "Hmm… well, for one, you're quite an interesting little creature, and it would be a shame to have someone go unpunished for hurting you." Alright, I guess that was reasonable. He continued, taking on a much darker tone. "Secondly, your blood is mine. No one has the right to take that away from me. I suppose you are, completely, mine. I give you more orders than Integra does, and I'm the one making sure you don't get yourself butchered every time you walk onto a mission. I've helped you get your powers under control, and I've put a lot of effort into keeping your heart beating. You belong to me."

I was uneasy. I suppose if I could choose to belong to anyone, I'd probably say him, but did that mean he only cared what _others_ did to me? Was he going to surprise me at some time with the fangs of a monstrous dog tearing into me, just for the hell of it? I was certain now; I was a toy to him. When he was bored with me being alive, he'd kill me…but it'd take a while. He'd try to have as much fun with killing me as possible…

He went on. "Don't think that all you are to me is a snack. I'm not sure exactly how to classify you. As the monster that I am, I don't really consider people 'friends', but you may be as close to that as I can get. You're not safe around me, as I'm sure you've noticed, but I'm not nearly as inclined to kill you as I am, say, any random human that annoys me. In addition, I very much enjoy this." He pressed me to his chest. "Your scent is incredible, your warmth is fascinating, and you lie next to me with such confidence that you'll even feel comfortable enough to _sleep_. I'd hate to never be able to feel it again. You don't look at me with disgust; you forget I'm a monster. A foolish move, but I enjoy it."

I'm his friend? Or, as close as I can get to it least? I'm counting that as 'friend'. Despite the fact that he thought I was an idiot (and a great-tasting one at that), I cuddled against him. He sighed, hopefully in content.

"Now then; you won't get better if you continuously stay up, getting terrified and stressed. You're going to sleep, and staying that way for four hours at the very least." The lights went out, blanketing the room in pitch-black. I tried sit up in surprise but he held me down, chuckling. I buried my eyes in his suit; I didn't want any hypnosis…it freaked me out.

Alucard however, had other plans. Cold shadows slowly wrapped around me, and they had such a weird effect. My muscles started to relax, leaving me feeling as if I was exhausted, completely unable to fight.

"Since when do you do that…?" I asked sleepily as he effortlessly tilted my head up to lock his burning gaze on me. I was a little scared about this, considering what I just witnessed a little while ago, but there wasn't much I could do about it.

"I can do quite a few things you're not aware of, little one." He purred.

Before I could contemplate whether I should be afraid of this fact, powerful hypnosis rendered me entirely unable to contemplate. Darkness flooded my mind; everything but the lingering glow of his eyes disappearing to me.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry. This took way too ridiculously long, and I'm sorry. Look, I've been stressed, I had to clean my room and the house, homework has been snapping my back on the uphill walk home, plain-old exhaustion, OVA four, I got sick, and my cat, Necco got sick. Forgive meeeee!

Ugh…this party going on…Ah hates it. My parents are throwing a party and it sucks. I really wanna leave. It's loud, people keep popping into my room, and the ankles of my pants are wet from walking through the grass after it rained. Meeehhhhhh.

B/N: Blah, blah, stop your stupid shitty excuses.

A/n2: stop your mom's shitty excuses- OH! SHOT DOOOWN!


	46. Hotwiring

A/N: Blarg I need to get this laptop fixed. I can't get on the internet and I've been wanting to play me some Maple Story. But I can't send it away to get repaired, because then the writing of chapters would be impossible.

It's about time for a lighter chapter. So here ya go. Have fun.

By the way Marie, I really hate what's his D-A; he's on now. Son of a bitch here comes that white guy. He may just be the whitest man ever, and everyone he meets hates him. I can see it. They want him to die or shut the hell up.

Bawha inside jokes are fun.

But hey, it's October now. October equals Halloween (fuck yeah I'm going trick or treating!) and horror movies 24/7 on at least two different channels.

B/N: I'm fairly sure you're the whitest man ever, Whitey McCracken.

I'm dressing as a pimp for Halloween, no lie. Pinstripes and EVERYTHING

* * *

About two weeks later I was finally allowed to leave the medical ward. Most of the holdup was due to the doctors were unwilling to let me out early, despite my many protests, because they didn't want me to re-open any wounds. They didn't want that, because Alucard is freaking crazy and being a doctor currently runs the risk of getting eaten.

Now, though, all I had were thin, itchy cuts across my torso and a dully aching shoulder. I could deal with those. Alucard kept a close watch on me anyway, ready to track down some painkillers or forcefully make me rest. Every time he tried either of those I fought if I was able; usually he wouldn't let me fight.

Today was a day that just bored me to the brink of insanity. It was about 7:30 now and getting dark out. I had been doing nothing all day, and after several failed attempts to evoke a response from Walter, I had turned my various antics on the soldiers. Halfway to the barracks I remembered that the soldiers are a bunch of dicks, and I don't really want to hang out with them.

So I had been lazing about.

I decided now was a good time to go look to Alucard to keep me from dieing of boredom. I usually left him alone for a few hours after he woke up, avoiding any potential grouchiness or hunger that accompanies most things immediately after they wake up. Only with him, rather than being mildly irritable when annoyed, bugging a recently-awakened Alucard seems like a good way to make your lifespan _very_ short.

I found him in an obscure room, reading an ancient-looking book with the title in a half-faded, strange-lettered language. He didn't look up, and gave no noticeable sign that he knew I walked in.

"Good evening, Pura," His voice made me jump a little. He finally looked up at me, closing the book without marking his place. "Is there something the matter?"

I walked up and sat on the floor, leaning on the side of the chair he was sitting on. I sighed. "I'm just bored."  
"I've been bored for 100 years." He ran his fingers through my hair, brushing against the side of my neck.

"Well I know what you can do." I came here with a plan…

"Oh? What's that?"

"You can take me to Jackie's house and she and I can go out to the mall." I honestly didn't expect this plan to work, and I expected him to laugh at me…which he did.

"Why don't you just go there yourself? You know how to drive." He asked once he stopped laughing.

"I don't have a British license. I didn't even have an American one; I just learned how to drive."

"We have chauffeurs; they can take you somewhere. Ask Integra first." He looked back to the book, his place not lost despite lack of a bookmark.

"Erm…I kinda already tried that." She had said no.

He looked down at me. "You sneaky little creature. You know full well both of us would have gotten in trouble had I indeed taken you somewhere."

"I know." I grinned, mine being much less scary or evil-induced than his. I got up and began to walk out. "I'm gonna go find something to do." I declared, mostly to myself.

"Good luck." He murmured, not sounding like he cared much.

I knew exactly what I was going to do…I just had to make a quick stop on the internet first.

* * *

A/N: POV change. Just wanted to bring you a report from the Hellsing party here. It stopped at ONE IN THE MORNING. IT. WAS. EPIC. Everyone had fun. I think. Unless they lied. It was so great, so unbelievably great. I'm actually kinda dazed right now.

B/N: EPIC AS HELL! 1 in the freaking morning. It was supposed to end at 10:30.

* * *

Walter walked towards the car garage. He was mentally going over the grocery list for the mansion, and wasn't even halfway done when he reached his destination.

He pressed the automatic open on the car he regularly used, and frowned when the normal 'beep beep' of the car's unlocking wasn't heard.

'_The remote must've run out of batteries_' he thought. He walked to the car's parking place to unlock it manually.

When he noticed the empty space where the familiar vehicle always sat, he went back to the organization's chauffeur's office.

"Has the Jaguar been sent out for repairs?" He asked, poking his head in the small room.

"Ah…not that I'm aware of…should it have been?" The man looked concerned; he had at one point been reprimanded for allowing a car to break down because of forgetting to get its oil changed.

"It's not in the garage. Has someone taken it out?" No wait, he had the only keys…

"Uh…no." He replied, looking at a list in front of him.

"Alert Sir Integra that one of the vehicles is missing. We may have a security breach." Walter made his way quickly back to the mansion; if someone had gotten in, he had to be ready to protect Integra.

When he passed by the room Alucard was lounging in, the vampire spoke.

"Where are you heading in such a hurry?"

"Someone may have gotten through security. Where's Pura? She may become a target if it's a vampire."

Alucard tilted his head up. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, a smirk pulling up one corner of his mouth. The smirk changed to a grin.

"And the reason you suspect a break-in is because a car is missing?" Alucard asked.

"Yes, why?"

"There's nothing like that to worry about. No one has broken in. Breaking _out_ is the situation to be dealt with. Do go on to tell Integra about this…it may turn out to be fun."

Alucard's 'fun' can, always has been, and always will be, _very_ subjective.

* * *

A/N: Meaningless POV change-indicating author's note! WOOOOOO!

B/N: takes off shirt WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

* * *

Hotwiring is easy with the help of the internet. Yes, wires were hanging out of the underside of the dashboard, but that's alright. I got me a car, and a very nice one at that. I didn't think anyone would miss the car; there're like twelve more various vehicles in the garage; higher-end ones, too.

I drove to Jackie's house, already having called her to get her ass ready. Parking outside, I turned on the inside light and applied makeup before honking the horn to get her out here.

She hopped in, raising her eyebrows at the expensive model. "What'd you do, steal this thing?

"Uhhh…is it still stealing even if I'm going to give it back…?"

"Oh my God, are you being serious?" I gestured to the hotwire evidence. Her hand moved up slowly to cover her mouth. She shook her head slowly. "Drive you crazy lady." She said, words muffled, trying to hold back laughter.

I laughed and obeyed.

We hung around the mall until about ten, and then decided to go to the restaurant/club near the mall.

We were perfectly fine just sitting there, shouting conversations over the loud music, when she peeked over my shoulder to the bar.

"Pura? There's some dude over there lookin' at you. No stop! Don't turn around."

"Well what does he look like?"

"Um…he's wearing a suit…weird. He's got like black, messy-lookin' hair. It's kinda freaky, he's wearing these orange glasses, but I can still tell he's staring at you. He's hot, but it's scary how intently he's…what?" I hadn't even noticed the shock that took over my face as she described him.

"Fuck." I whispered.

"What's going on?!"

"We have to leave. Like now. Like fucking now." Oh God I'm going to get strangled. "Jackie, what I need you to do is make sure I don't get killed while I re-start the car, then jump in when I tell you."

I grabbed a napkin and wrote on it with the pen I had in my pocket.

'_Tell me when he looks away. If he doesn't for a while, you need to distract him somehow. I'm going to run out to the car and get it started, don't get far away from me."_

Jackie nodded. A few minutes passed, when I heard a drunk guy yelling incoherently. Jackie flicked her hand toward the door and we took off.

I leapt into the car and her door slammed and locked as I fiddled with the wires.

"Aw hell Pura I see him! Who the fuck is he?! Jesus we need to call the police or something!"

"I stole this car remember? That explains both him and the reason we can't call the cops." Actually, we couldn't call the cops because Alucard might just decide to eat them…and have me for dessert.

The car roared to life and I floored it, tires squealing out of the parking lot. I was pretty sure Alucard wouldn't hurt Jackie or murder me in front of witnesses, so she was okay. I also doubted he would actually rip the door off the car with her here, but he would get annoyed if I stalled. I took Jackie home (parking inside her garage by her request, and I can see why), as she shot me a worried glace.

I took a deep breath and pulled out. I got about two miles before the car stopped on its own and the door was opened. I tried to scramble across to the passenger side door but was stopped quickly by a powerful hand wrapping around my ankle and yanking me outside.

"What were you thinking, Pura?" He sighed as I struggled in his unbreakable grip, clawing uselessly for the open car. He grabbed the back of my collar and pulled me up to his chest, pinning me to him, pulling my hands behind my back. "Did you think that the missing car wouldn't be noticed? That the missing _you_ wouldn't be noticed?"

He let go with one arm, the other easily able to keep me trapped. "Master, I've found her." He must've gotten out a cell phone. "What shall I do with her?" I twisted my neck to look up at him.

A grin slowly spread over his face. "Yes, master."

He looked down at me and chuckled. My eyes widened in fear, knowing he had discovered and would carry out my punishment. I whimpered. He threw my roughly over his shoulder, ignoring my yelp. He took off in a run, so quickly I didn't have time to shriek again.

He moved fast; I couldn't even see where we were going. I shut my eyes, starting to get sick from my rushing surroundings.

He soon stopped, dropping my roughly. My eyes flew open; we were deep in a forest. The trees blocked out almost all light, and the droning buzz of crickets was eerie. Autumn cold stung my bare arms and face; why didn't I have a jacket, damn it?

"Find your own way home." Alucard's grin shined in the moonlight. "And if you use your wings, I'll snap them off when you get back. I'll be able to tell if you've flown home, too, it would only take a few seconds of searching your mind. Have fun." He disappeared, leaving me alone and shocked, sitting on the damp forest floor.

* * *

The vampire watched the young girl rise from the place she had fallen. He took in her wonderful scent; blood, fear, panic. Her eyes swept across her surroundings, not even seeing the monster. He wasn't even hiding, but her fully dilated pupils couldn't see him standing in the inky blackness.

She stumbled off into the darkness, already scared.

The vampire grinned, and began to hunt.

* * *

A/N: The cliffies…they call to me! They howl my name in the night, and tell me to write them!

I know it's short. Look, I wanna write the next chapter so I kinda moved a little quickly on this one. I'm pretty sure that it's _not_ what you're thinking. I gots twists.

B/N: I got myself a new fur coat, PETA's on my ass, and I don't care.

Where is Jarrod?

A friend of mine is coming to fix my typewriter, it's really exciting.

A/N2: I have a bruise from where you punched me yesterday…A BRUISE. YOU WHORE.

And you beat up Kristin and Eric too…this is why we can't have nice things.


	47. Lost

A/N: I was supposed to give blood today…Red Cross came to our school last week, whined about a blood shortage, and made us fill out about twenty pages of release and permission forms. Today rolls around and I'm all freaked out (it being the first time I've ever given blood), but I'm ready for it. Plus I get out of class and get a cookie.

I got my little donor card, I forgot ID and my mom ran back to the house to get it, I finally go down there at the time they scheduled me to go down…and they're like: 'No, there are too many people here. Go back to class.' Their excuse was 'oh well we have to be out of here by one'…3:00 as we leave school and the blood-mobile is still parked outside.

…

Apparently they're gonna reschedule for all the people who couldn't donate today. But knowing my school, Red Cross'll tell them three weeks in advance, but we as students won't hear a word. Then that 'nails-on-a-chalkboard'-voiced PA lady will be like 'SURPRISE! BLOOD DRIVE'S TODAY! HOPE YOU ALL HAVE THE FIVE PAGES OF DOCUMENTS AND IDENTIFICATION NEEDED TO DONATE! REALLY YOU GUYS SHOULD CARRY THAT SHIT AROUND AT ALL TIMES!'

God I hate my school.

Bear Grylls is making me sick…He's doing things I could have gone my entire life without ever having to see. Why do I watch this!? Oh right; there's nothing on TV.

* * *

That son of a bitch! He just left me out here!

I got up from where he abruptly dropped me, nervous but unwilling to admit it.

Where even am I? I checked my phone for reception, and found it to be nonexistent. The phone, that is. When did he steal that? I'm so screwed…

No flying, either. Well, not unless I want to get my wings ripped out of my back.

It was way too pitch-black out. I tried to maintain the anger at Alucard, but an instinctive fear of darkness kept seeping into my emotions. Ordinarily, fearing darkness would be childish, but I knew what kind of things like to hide in the shadows. I also knew they'd come out of the shadows to take a bite out of me.

I looked up to the sky through a break in the trees. The moon was a white sliver in the inky sky. I saw the silver crescent for only a few seconds before dark clouds swallowed it, blotting out what little light it gave.

I took a deep breath, shivering from the rapidly decreasing temperature. Would Alucard really have left me here? Surely, after my recent abduction, he wouldn't just let me out in the middle of the woods without any sort of protection…would he?

Actually, he might…Had he gotten in trouble for me taking the car? If he was angry enough, he might just be _happy_ if I got killed…

I bit my lip against that thought and began to walk off into the woods. I had no idea where I was, or which way was which. Staying put until dawn was a bad plan; keeping my scent concentrated in one spot would attract attention, or so Alucard had said at one time. While leaving a trail didn't seem like a good idea either, I didn't have much of a choice. No one was gong to take me back themselves.

I walked through the dense woods blindly, my ears pricked up, trying to hear everything around me to attempt to replace the loss of my sight.

A tiny sound; a sharp little 'crick' behind me. I whipped around, heart racing. Seeing nothing, I nervously turned back and went on. God I hope I wasn't too far in the forest…

I went on, heart racing at every low-hanging branch that brushed against me.

After a while of stumbling through the darkness, the clouds let the moon peek through again, shining a little bit of light down. I saw that I was coming up on a clearing, before the light was taken away again.

I pushed the damp overhanging branches away and walked into the open space. The moon was revealed again, and something glinting on the other end of the clearing caught my eye. I focused on the shining thing. It was about six feet off the ground…strange. Maybe something was wedged into the trees…

I froze. I knew what that was. I had come to know it well lately…

That was the glint of moonlight on fangs.

I saw the rest of the figure- a vampire, definitely. His brown shaggy hair hung slightly over his eyes, and he wore ripped jeans and a t-shirt streaked with dried blood.

He laughed when I took a step back. "Come on over here and play, girl."

I turned and started running. God damn it, Alucard where the hell are you!?

A hand wrapped around my wrist and yanked me to a stop. The cold voice that spoke was terrifyingly calm. "I don't think that was very polite- you ignored me. Teenagers these days have no manners…" He wrenched my head up and leaned closed to my throat. The vampire's cold breath puffed over my neck.

I screamed. "ALUCARD!" I cried out for him, hoping in vain for rescue. I pulled against the impossibly powerful grip, not getting an inch. The vampire's cold tongue slid up the side of my neck, and I screeched for Alucard again.

Suddenly the grip was gone, and I fell to the ground. I got to my feet in a panic and began to sprint away.

"Yes, run. Just like a scared little rabbit." The chuckling voice said from behind me. I didn't look back.

Rain started to drizzle through the trees, making the leaf-strewn forest floor slippery. I was met with a decision I never thought I'd have to make. Strip or die.

Either I tear off my shirt and bring out my wings for defense, or I get fangs in my throat. But the 'three minutes before I can do anything' rule was worrying….

I pulled off my shirt as I ran, casting it aside once I got it off. My wings formed but stayed tight against my back involuntarily as I tried to count down the eternally long three minutes before I could move them.

Hooked thorns suddenly ripped across my body, and I yelled out in pain. I had run right into a high and very thick thorn bush. I backed out, too fast. Some of the thorns tore away pieces of my skin, my entire body now dotted with bloody spots and pain. I felt a hot line of blood drip down my face, just below my eye.

Fucking hell. Bleeding around vampires is bad.

I expected a hand to grab my throat any second now. But I didn't hear or see anything else from my new 'friend'. I looked behind me and saw only the vague black shapes of the trees. When I turned back to see where I was going, a branch was about to hit me in the face. I tried to stop quickly, but the slippery leaves littering the ground sent me tumbling backwards.

Something hard hit the back of my head, and everything went black.

* * *

Dizziness returned with consciousness. I opened my eyes to find that I was still on the forest floor, and it was still raining. Something was holding me down…and rubbing cold sandpaper across my torso and chest…

I pulled drowsily against the cuffs around my wrists, and tried to shift away from the sandpaper.

The quiet laugh snapped my attention back to reality.

I looked down to find the vampire, knees on both sides of me, sitting on my legs to keep me still. He held my arms to the ground, my wrists next to my head. He was licking the blood off me, slowly moving up my shirtless upper body. He traced his tongue up my neck, and smiled at me, making eye contact, as he licked the blood off my face.

A thought flashed through my mind, maybe scaring me more than death.

Rape.

Not like the humans I had encountered on the first night I met Alucard. Far more brutal, more damaging. I knew from all kinds of information around the mansion that vampire rape is incredibly traumatizing, the victims that survived attacks but raped unable to respond to anyone. They couldn't even speak.

I thrashed in his grip, screaming again for Alucard. No response, other than the vampire's cackling.

He had truly left me. He didn't care what happened to me now, did he? I was going to be raped and killed, and no one would even know. Or care. I'd be forgotten.

I felt like crying. But I couldn't. Not here.

The vampire dragged his tongue along my arm. How long had I been unconscious? Let's see.

I spiked his tongue.

"Guh!?" Was the sound he made upon finding his tongue impaled on a spear of ice that stuck out from my wrist.

I kicked him in the stomach, hurting my foot but he fell away from me a little. His hands released my arms and I wriggled away from him, giving him a spilt tongue as I escaped.

I raced through the forest, unable to find a place to fly; the trees were too thick to fly upwards.

The snarling that came from too close behind me made me yelp in surprise. To hell with getting my wings snapped off when I got back. That was actually worrying; Alucard is defiantly a 'shoot first' kind of guy, and my wings registered pain very, very strongly. But it's that or get killed. I leapt into the air, deciding now was a fine time to fly away from this shit.

I had just broken through the tree tops when something wrapped around my ankles. I was jerked downward but flapped against it. It was no use, whatever it was grew up my legs and dragged my slowly down despite my efforts to stay airborne.

When it tangled in my wings and stopped their movements, I was rushed to the ground.

I hit the ground hard on my side, my vision flashing bright explosions in the black forest. I saw the vampire walking slowly towards me. I saw his deadly smile with terrifying clarity.

Something warm and wet stung my eye- blood. Had I torn open my temple? Fuck. I shivered in the cold rain.

Everything started to go fuzzy. No, don't pass out. No. I'll die if I pass out.

The vampire's hand wrapped around my throat. My lungs burned for air, but were ignored.

Everything slowly went black. I tried one last time to call for the vampire who I loved despite everything he put me through. The voice that told me he was going to let me die wasn't a tiny voice in the back of my mind for once. I knew he wasn't coming.

My world faded and was lost.

* * *

A/N: Short chapter for too long. And for a cliffy. Again, forgive me. The writing was going slow, I was thinking too much about the next chapter. That, and the whole 'Here's five hours of homework, you have to wake up at six A.M.'

I got mah ears pierced. For the third time in the same place (they kept closing up).

Thank God for no school on Monday, or else you'd be waiting another week for this.

B/N: I was met with a decision I never thought I'd have to make. Strip or die.

I go through that EVERYDAY. Because if I don't strip, I don't eat, you see.


	48. Musical Interlude VII

A/N: No school Monday! Yay!

Ooooh, Red Dragon's on! I do believe I'll watch it! Sir Anthony Hopkins Pretty much wins at things. He's a scary boy, but he's so very awesome-tastic.

Hey look- a Musical Interlude! Wheeeee! Many of you were right, but were then wrong when you changed your theories. HAHAHA! Er-sorry.

Um also…uploading this to deviantArt, so if anyone wants to pop in there and support me (My poor story, it's so alone over there!) that'd be peachy.

I want a hellpig…I'm getting a better cage and another pig to keep Mistah T company. This was decided at petco today while we were lookin' at the pigs. I saw an awesome one that had blond-ish fur and eyes that, I swear, were _glowing_ red. But my mom was like 'You're not getting that one. It's creepy.' Um, yeah, that's the point. She's a pig racist. She only likes guinea pigs with solid-color fur. Josh made up the word 'hellpig' when I told him about it, and now I can't stop saying it. Hellpig hellpig hellpig. Kinda like 'labradoodle' and 'pigloo' (you know those dog house igloos? Dogloos? They have 'em for guinea pigs.) All go onto list of words I love to say.

B/N: Bumblefuck.

* * *

Once Pura was out, I released her neck. She gasped as the breath returned to her lungs, but didn't wake up. I shed the disguise, returning to my regular form. My orders had been to scare the girl, and badly. I had accomplished that well, it seemed.

I had ended this game when she regained her abilities, or she'd fly screaming into the night, which might attract attention, human or otherwise. I checked the injury she received when I dragged her out of the sky; a cut, nothing too serious. If she had a concussion, it was a very minor one. I licked the scrape, healing her this time. Alternatively, when I drank the blood from the thorn cuts, I very well could have ripped her flesh off with my tongue. While few vampires have the need or desire to heal humans rather than keep their blood flowing, powerful ones can switch between the two.

I wonder; how differently would she have reacted had she known it was me licking blood off her?

I looked down at her; a black line of eye makeup had dripped a short way down her face. I brushed my thumb across the mark, smudging it. Humans are so odd; painting up their faces to attract mates.

I picked up the rain-drenched girl. I held her to me, able to feel her pulse making every inch of her exposed skin twitch minutely, the beating of her heart fast from the traces of adrenaline left in her blood. She trembled against me pathetically. She personally was freezing, but still felt so warm to me; not in danger of hypothermia again. I wrapped my coat around her, hoping to dry her off and keep her warm as well as upholding her modesty. What kind of creature wears such brightly colored underthings but abhors for anyone to see them?

She grasped the edges of the coat tightly with a whimper. That ever-present urge to devour the girl surged up. Must she always act so much like prey? It had taken quite a bit of restraint to not drain her when she was struggling in my grip, mind filled with fear and body dripping with blood. My tongue had been directly over her heart at one point; if she hadn't regained control over that ice, I might have torn it right out of her chest. And I could have watched her gasp with pain and stare at her own still beating heart for a couple minutes before she finally died…in my experience with humans, it took about three minutes for them to actually die after being relieved of their heart. Though she might last a little longer…And she _had_ thought she was going to die…I could kill her now and it wouldn't make much difference to the girl.

But something stopped me…and it wasn't the knowledge of Integra's anger if I returned home well-fed but empty handed. It was that pain that made her feel like something was crushing her heart without my help; the pain that made her want to cry. The thought that I had forgotten her made her want to _cry_. Just how important was I to her? How much did she want to be in the company of a monster? _Why_ would she want that? I knew she loved me (though she seemed to delude herself into thinking I had no clue), but after all I've done and am capable of doing, why would anyone with sense in their head still want to be around me?

So many questions…there was no way she would answer them. I _could_ just dig through her thoughts, but where's the fun in that?

I began making my way back home. We were about a thirty-minute's run away.

Maybe she _should_ be allowed out more…human teenagers don't do well shut up in a house all the time, so I've been told. The only worry was the chance that she should reveal any secrets. That one friend of hers already knew about her wings, which could prove problematic. If this Jackie girl told anyone else about my little creature's unique abilities, I might have to make sure she keeps quiet before she goes yammering on about anything else…something that would ensure much screaming, begging, and crying from Pura's side. I don't much want to deal with that.

Or, alternatively, if a vampire got a hold of one her little friends, Pura would do just about anything to make him stop. Physically, Pura's a good fighter. Emotionally, however, she's not as strong as would be healthy for one in this line of work. I doubt she would betray us, but she's not above slitting her own wrist to get a vampire off those she cares about. She's not ignorant enough to fail to think of that option, either.

As I ran, Pura murmured quietly and turned, as well as she could in my hold, to nuzzle against me, burying her face in my suit. Still cold, I suppose. I pulled up the coat to better cover her, as I had slipped down off her shoulders.

The way she had screamed for me when she was being 'attacked'…no matter how much she had told herself I had left her, she kept yelling for me. Even with what she believed to be her last breath, she tried to call out to me.

Had she screamed like that a few weeks ago, when that vampire cut her up? How long had she called my name? Until the pain kept her from forming words? Or did she just eventually give up on the thought that I would rescue her? How long had that taken? And immediately upon saving her I had just handed her over to another group who wanted her dead. Then I returned and nearly drained her. Yet, she screams for me even now.

This girl has a knack for raising questions.

I soon reached the mansion. I made my way up to Integra's office, bringing her proof that I hadn't slaughtered the girl. I entered my blonde master's room without knocking, noting her eyebrow twitch as I did. She looked up, cigar clamped between her teeth. She studied the unconscious girl in my arms.

"Mission complete." I said.

"Have you ensured she won't pull something like that again?"

"If she does try it again, she's far stupider than I could have imagined."

"Good work."

I bowed, and left, knowing this was a dismissal.

I took her to her room and flipped back the covers on her bed. After taking back my coat, I placed her on the bed and pulled the fluffy blankets over her. She got comfortable, and a smile twitched on her face for a second. I smirked at this innocent display, then looked around her room. It was a mess. Evidently she didn't like using a wardrobe and various layers of clean laundry were scattered about, including an excessively lacy bra, one which, had she known I had seen it even on the floor, would have made her face burn red. She might hide somewhere for a while, too.

I laughed at this mental image. At the sound, Pura muttered incomprehensible sleep-talk. I looked down at her, and she frowned slightly before opening her eyes and blinking in the dim candle light.

"Muh…" was the first word she said upon waking up. She looked up sleepily at me. "Alu…card…?" She winced after speaking. Her hand twitched up to touch the spot on her forehead where she had hit it. Perhaps she does have a concussion.

I leaned over her and inspected the bruise forming over her eye. I brushed her hand away and pressed the apparently painful spot lightly. "Ow!" she yelped. "What're you doing?" I ignored her and continued pressing, checking for any fractures on her skull.

Finding none, I stopped poking at her bruise. Once released she hid her face in the pillow. Her still-sleepy voice was muffled "What happened…?"

"Don't steal a car again." That's the only explanation she's getting.

She stared at me for a few moments, then blinked and her eyes widened. I suppose she's figured it out. "You…fucking…bastard…" she whispered. She does have quite the mouth on her. I grinned. She grabbed the alarm clock off the nightstand and whipped it at me. "You bastard!" She screamed "I thought I was going to _DIE_!" She threw her lamp "I thought I was going to be _RAPED_! Do you fucking get that!? I thought you had abandoned me and didn't give a shit whether I lived or died! And you just fucking listened to me scream and _laughed_!?" She had run out of things to throw and spikes of ice armored her hand. She flicked her hand as if throwing something, though her hands were empty.

Shards of ice cut into my face painlessly, but surprisingly. She continued yelling as I regenerated. Where did this ability come from? I had thought I needed to teach her how to keep ice frozen away from her body, but the shards still dotted the floor where the fell out of my face and wedged into the wall where they missed.

She didn't seem affected like she usually was when she attacked me. Normally I had to provoke her into drawing blood and not freaking out after words. But now she was just angry. She flicked her hand again and more daggers of ice hit me, and they were much larger and jagged pieces this time. The cuts they made posed no problem to me.

I noticed her eyes were a little brighter than normal human eyes should be. The blueish-green eyes she usually possessed were now tinted a bit more blue. Her mouth was pulled up into a snarl, and her eyeteeth were a little more pointed than human teeth should be. Not fangs, but not normal.

I walked forward and she growled, clawing at me. I caught her hands and twisted them behind her back, leaning close to her face. She flinched back, her features returning to their normal form, to my slight dismay. The ice that had been cutting into my hands disappeared immediately.

"What brought that on?" I asked.

"Wha-what? Brought what on? You made me mad and I yelled at you, I didn't really mean it!" She was scared now, thinking I was angry…couldn't she remember attacking me?

"You don't remember? What a shame." I let her hands go, and she realized she had no shirt on. She quickly pulled the blankets up to cover herself.

"Remember what?"

"Steve was right."

She was horrified. She was still so concerned about being a monster…she has no idea what makes a monster.

I sat down on her bed next to her. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her to me. I knew what comforted young girls.

"You are nothing even close to a monster, Pura. How many times must I remind you? Calling you a monster is like calling a dog a monster because it has sharp teeth. Whatever is happening to you is normal; I doubt you have any control over it. So stop worrying about it."

I lied down, bringing her along. It was four A.M., late for her but a little early for me to go to sleep. Though, since I was already here, I suppose I'll fall asleep a little early tonight.

My words seemed to have dissipated her worries, for she cuddled against me. My arms were around her, and I felt her wings melt into her back. She didn't even seem to notice. She was soon out; trusting me not to rip her to pieces as she slept. Was her trust misguided? Perhaps, eventually. Not tonight. She's been through enough tonight; I'll allow her to sleep soundly.

I listened to her heart thump evenly, and eventually fell asleep, keeping my sleeping prey company.

* * *

A/N: I has wireless internet!

I can now work from my room and talk to people! Yay!

I had to get up at six and go to school on a Saturday. A SIN AGAINST GOD, I SAY!

It was for the PSATs…Immediately after that four-hour nightmare I went to another one. My nephew's party. Screaming children. It was just bad. Terrible.

B/N: PSATs, were the biggest bags of shit. Ever. Plus, I sat near Tyler, so I got to see his smug: I KNOW FUCKING EVERYTHING face, and his stupid inane chuckles at questions he found too simple for his brilliant mind.

Ergh.

But anyway, Sir Wellington Douchebaggerton the third, of Wales. You suck. At life.


	49. Halloween

A/N: WAAAAH! THE NINTH BOOK'S BEEN DELAYED!

Jen's sad.

OH MY GOD PUMPKIN ROLL! YEEEES!

Happy Halloween. Do you know what that means?

SEASONAL CHAPTER! YAY!

* * *

I woke in the grip of a vampire who pissed me off. Last night I had been partially distracted from my anger by intimidation and the worry that I'm going to turn out evil, but now I was just annoyed.

"Get away from me…you're a friggin' ass…" I growled sleepily, trying to push him off.

The low red glow that slowly appeared told me he was awake now. "You're not usually so…articulate this early." I could just tell he was smirking in that infuriating way.

"Get off me…"

"Hm? 'Off' you? My dear, I'm not even on you." He chuckled. I beg to differ. He was lying on his side, and he had pulled me up on my own side, holding me tightly to his chest.

"_This_" He growled suddenly, rolling over fast to lie on top of me, and wrenching my head to the side. His cool, grinning lips rested gently on the side of my neck. I became acutely aware of the fast pulse in my throat. "_This_ is "on" you." I felt his fangs; smooth, cold, and incredibly sharp, graze my neck as he spoke. "Scared?" he chuckled. One hand moved up to grip the other side of my neck; his other arm circled around my middle, keeping me still and pressed to him.

His tongue slid up the side of my throat, slick; not sandpaper this time. I shivered, though whether it was entirely in fear, I didn't know.

"You know it's strange…" He whispered, his mouth at my ear "Even your skin tastes good. Most humans, it's just a hint of what their blood is like. Barely any taste. But you…" His thumb rubbed my neck lightly.

"Now then…you were angry primarily due to the mistaken fear of rape, correct?"

"Uh…huh…" I found it difficult to form coherent sentences…wait, was he trying to make up, or should I be terrified?

"I never intended for you to think that. And, for the record, you needn't worry. If the situation arises where I must kill you, that's something you can count on to not happen. There's no need to rape you, nor would I ever subject you to that."

I was quiet. This seemed to me as…mercy. Kindness, even. Yes, he said he would kill me if he had to, but…there was something he wouldn't make me suffer though? He was a monster, we've assessed that, but was he as evil as everyone supposed him to be?

He finally got off me, which is good because he was kinda constricting my breathing. He sat up and smirked down at me. Ordinarily, I would have wondered what in the hell he meant by smirking like that, but I was too preoccupied by the desire to get a shower. Also, I had completely lost track of the days again.

"What's the date…?" I asked as he got out of my bed and straightened his tie.

"October 28th."

"Oh no!" Damn it! I'm gonna miss it! I sat up and moved to sit on the side of my bed.

"What the matter?"

"Halloween's in three days and I don't have anything ready!"

Alucard gave me a strange look. "Don't tell me you go out and slam on other human's doors begging for sugar…"

"Um…" Well it was more of a 'Various friends and I scared small children and maybe go to parties' but…the candy's definitely something that we get distracted by…it's free candy for God's sakes, why would we pass that up?!

Alucard turned back around, but I could almost hear him rolling his eyes.

"You don't have to be such a jerk about it…" I mumbled, slightly put down.

He looked back at me and sighed. "Alright. What were you planning to masquerade as?"

I hadn't really thought about it, due to the fact that I was unaware of the date. "Hmm…Probably as 'generic zombie'"

"Why do humans find it amusing to impersonate the dead?" He muttered sarcastically.

"Well how about I just go as a vampire and sidestep all the pretense to skip right to pissing you off?" I snapped, just as sarcastic.

He leaned in close, putting his hands on either side of me, grinning wickedly. I tried not to flinch back, but failed and leaned away at his intimidation. "Then I'd have to treat you as a vampire. And you know how I deal with female vampires. So by all means, buy some fangs and wander the streets. You won't be doing so for very long."

Because he was very likely to do that if I dress up as a vampire, that option was out. He moved away, chuckling. "I guess I'll go as a zombie then…"

"Well if you're going to imitate death, you're going to do it well."

I looked at him warily, wondering just how literally he meant that.

He picked up on my fear and grinned. "No, Pura, I'm not really going to kill you. But we do need to find some proper supplies. I won't have you going around in some half-assed attempt at a mask. Now then, go get ready for the day." He got up and melted through the wall, leaving me alone and a bit confused.

Later, after I had gotten a shower and had breakfast, Alucard made his presence known by grabbing me tightly around the waist from behind and snarling, his breath on my throat. I yelped, and fought for a moment before I realized he was just messing with me.

"Please put me down…"

He laughed. "If you say so…" He purred, releasing me.

"So what did you have in mind in the way of plans for today?" I asked once my feet were again on the ground.

"Let's go out and find some costume things for you. Most of the shopping centers close in about four hours, so we should get moving."

"Hm? Shouldn't we ask to get out first? I don't feel like going through all of that again…"

"Already got permission. Oh, and Pura? One requirement." He was grinning, and I did not like it at all.

"What kind of requirements…?"

"If I'm going to go through this ridiculous charade, I am permitted to terrify you from now until this 'holiday' is over."

Oh…God. Not good. But…I doubt I'd be allowed out of here without his help… "Okay, but can we draw the line at bodily harm and causing horrifying flashbacks?"

"I suppose. Now come on, we don't have all night." He picked me up without warning and tossed me onto his back. My surprised yells were ignored. I had assumed that we were going to drive there, but evidently Alucard had other plans.

We reached the mall rather quickly. At some point while he was running, he had ditched his coat. Good idea too, that would draw stares. Well, more stares than a tall, intimidating man wearing an expensive-looking black suit and red looped tie would usually receive.

About then I recognized the mall he had come to. Damn it…at this time of the day, Jackie would be working here…how does one explain shopping with the same guy who attacked us yesterday?

We walked in, and as I guessed, we received quite a few stares. I felt really friggin' self-conscious from it all, but Alucard didn't notice or, more likely, didn't give a damn.

He scanned the mall, easy for one who towered over pretty much everyone. I, however, was stuck much closer to the ground.

Once a direction was chosen, he began to make his way up the place, ignoring the crowd. I scampered behind him, whispering apologies to the terrified people he knocked out of the way.

We came upon a large Halloween-themed store, fog machines and a soundtrack of horror movie sounds playing were stationed near the entrance.

Alucard glanced around at the props and costumes as he moved through the cotton-cobweb-strewn aisles. I followed him, looking for something acceptable. He said masks were out, so I searched for a makeup kit.

I held one up, black red and gray paint and makeup pencils. "How's this?"

He examined it, taking the package and flipping it over. "Mm, no." He tossed it back onto the jumbled shelf.

A man made the mistake of tapping him on the shoulder and asking him to move. Alucard turned and gave him a glare that would make water boil and snarled. I don' think I've ever seen anyone trip over a barrel of severed feet before.

Alucard laughed quietly as he went back to perusing the shelves.

"Okaaay…this?" I showed him another kit, with various hues of paint and powder.

"No. Go run around, I'll find what you need." He murmured, looking over a packet of some rubbery stuff that was bloody red.

I shot him a glare before walking off. What, I'm not good enough to find zombie makeup? Feh.

I went to the other end of the store and picked up a plastic but realistic-looking blood-spattered machete.

"If you're going on a bloody rampage, Mitch is in the parking lot now." Came a familiar voice.

"Jackie!" I turned around, and she had a red plastic pitchfork pointed at me.

"Bring it." She said, grinning. Oh I will…

We fought for a few minutes until the owner came over to yell at us.

"So, you coming with us the Halloween?" She asked once we had been broken up.

"Well I'm here, lookin' for stuff aren't I?" I twirled the machete.

"What're you going as? I'm planning on a devil."

"Zombie. Kyle comin'? His van would be damn helpful if everyone else goes." I picked up a severed head out of a bucket full of them.

"Oh, and everyone else is going. Sadly, his van is in the shop. We're taking two cars…where're you living now? Everything fun starts at six, so we need to plan a pick-up route."

"Ah…about that—" I was cut off by the dark shape that appeared behind my friend.

"Good evening." Alucard's silky voice purred, making Jackie jump and whip around. She jumped back.

"The hell are you do—" she began, recognizing him. "Holy shit!" She looked back at me, in alarm, and I knew she was trying to tell me that I should run.

"Um…Jackie…long story, but he's cool." I hope…

"Jackie, was it?" Alucard asked, looking down at her…I felt an urge to jump between them…I mentally begged Alucard not to hurt my friend.

_"I have no plans to do that, calm down."_ His voice echoed in my mind. I relaxed a little, but not much.

"Um…Ye-yeah." She replied nervously, and it's not hard to see why.

"Well its nice to meet you. Pura, I've found some suitable materials and I'm going to go pay for them. Meet me soon outside the store." He walked away. _"Careful what you say, Pura."_ He purred in my mind. I should have known distraction was his motive. And he had been listening in…bastard…

"Pura what the _hell?!_" she asked once he was (so she thought) out of earshot. "Didn't you take his car? Didn't he come after you!?"

"Well…its complicated, but he's kinda like my roommate now. He was just trying to freak me out, but yeah I did take that car. I had planned to give it back but I guess that's not good enough for him…" I hope he heard that. "Anyway, I asked him to help me with my costume this year."

"Cheater. He's so creepy; you'll have the scariest costume ever designed." I had to laugh at that. Partly because it was probably true.

"I'll call you tomorrow, I hafta go."

"Don't get an axe in your head…" She called after me sarcastically.

When I got up to the register, the clerk was looking terrified under the gaze of the vampire at the desk. He was muttering into a little clip, presumably to his manager, never taking his eyes of Alucard's glare.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Alucard growled. "Evidently the item scanner is broken_." _

"That's stupid…"

"I'm aware." He leaned over the counter. "Look here you quivering idiot. Sell me these items, or I'm going to take them. If you try to stop me, you're going to be dead _very_ quickly."

"I-ah, just…I can't access the…computer…If you came back tomorrow we could have-have it fixed." What a wuss.

Alucard picked the items up and, upon ripping off the security tags, walked out. He looked over his shoulder, and I caught the sight of his eyes glowing brightly. The clerk, who had been yelling after us, fell abruptly silent.

"Let's get a pumpkin." I suggested as we walked into the parking lot. Well, Alucard walked; I skipped a little, the Halloween atmosphere had put me in a good mood, despite my threatening company.

"And why on Earth would we do that?" Alucard asked, half-growling. He tucked the bagful of items inside his coat (which had mysteriously reappeared once we got far enough away from other people.)

"To carve a face into it…"

"Again, why?" It was easy to tell the mall had worn his patience thin.

"It's fun…and don't act like you're having a terrible time. You seemed to have fun terrorizing the customers in that costume shop; did that bring you no joy?"

He smirked. "Alright, I'll give you that." he looked down at me "I don't think I've ever seen you so enthusiastic before…"

"Well I like Halloween. It's fun."

He chuckled and picked me up. "I'll play along. But remember; you're a prime target for me once we get home. I'm going to pay you back, you know." he threw me onto his back and took off.

"I know…" I said, already fearing the horrors he had in store…

It was already pretty late…I had no idea where we were going to acquire a pumpkin at such an hour. He didn't seem to realize this, or care if he did. He moved very quickly in some unknown direction, half-flying, which was, even after all the times I had done this, still pretty damn scary.

Alucard landed. I couldn't tell where this was; it was too pitch-black. He surveyed the ground, looking over the blackness, but obviously seeing what was there.

"Hmm…" He leaned down and picked something up. "This good?"

I realized our location when he held up the large round thing. "Ah. Yeah, that's great!"

His fangs glinted in the moonlight when he smiled back at me, and then took off abruptly enough to make me gasp. We rushed past, but I saw the large sign; we had been at a garden center…He just stole that pumpkin, didn't he…? I had to stifle my laughter on his coat. It was funny; he just stole whatever the fuck he wanted.

We eventually got back to the mansion, and I wasted no time in cutting the large orange gourd open. Alucard watched me claw the stringy orange mess out of the pumpkin, looking bored, but still a little interested. As I pulled out handful after handful of the cold stringy goo, I thought of faces I could carve into it.

Alucard got up and retrieved a pouch of blood out of the fridge. I couldn't help but watch as he bit down on the bag and drained it. I tried to hide the fact that I was watching him out of the corner of my eye and continued to scrape seeds out of the mostly hollow pumpkin, but he definitely noticed my attention; he didn't take his eyes off me. A small trickle of blood ran along the bag, starting at where he bit it, and dripped slowly onto the table. The contrast between his perfectly white gloves and the dark red of the slowly emptying bag was somehow unsettling. Not to mention the fact that despite the little rivulets of blood dripping down the sides, his gloves didn't show any staining at all, though the blood came in contact with them in several places. If anything, the blood was drawn to the powerful hand gripping the bag as if it was a magnet, and from there it just disappeared, save for a few drop that fell to the table.

Once he was finished he got up to throw the bag away. A thought occurred as I looked at the red cloth of the back of his coat. The thought immediately after that first was that I most definitely had a deathwish. I weighed the outcomes in my head. The chance that they would be at all good was slim to none. I took a breath. Ah well, I've lived a pretty good life.

I picked up a handful of the slimy orange stuff, and whipped it at the back of his coat. It splattered across his back, little orange-tinted seeds clicking to the floor. I was out of the chair and running before he even turned around.

I was laughing hysterically and terrified for my life at the same time.

I darted into a large room, a room full of storage boxes and perfect for hiding. I ducked behind a trunk, and upon noting that contained only a few cushy-looking blankets, climbed inside.

It wasn't long before I heard the sound of boots thudding slowly on the dusty wooden floor.

"Come on out, Pura…I only want to tear your throat out…" He called, his voice disturbingly light, as if he were discussing the weather instead of threatening to mutilate me. "I merely wish to drain every little drop of blood out of your veins. No need to be afraid, dear girl."

Oh fuck…I think he was being serious.

I cringed further into my hiding spot, hoping pointlessly that maybe the blankets would muffle my heartbeat. The footsteps got close, and I held my breath. They stopped seemingly directly in front of the box I was trapped inside.

Miraculously, they started to recede. He was leaving!

I had barely started breathing again when the box was splintered into pieces by the teeth of a huge black dog that began forcing its way inside, the wood cracking loudly. I started screeching, the monstrous thing's frothy jaws snapping inches from my face as I tried to escape through the still-intact part of the trunk. The part I was inconveniently stuck in. My nails scraped uselessly on the solid wooden side, the hellhound's terrifying jaws getting slowly closer.

The box finally broke apart on my end, and I scrambled away as best I could, and got halfway across the room before something pitch-black and freezing cold clamped over my mouth, cutting off my screams and yanking me back. I struggled, still on my feet, when another larger one hooked around my midsection, catching my arms with it. I fell backwards to the ground, landing painfully.

I couldn't see him, but I heard the slowly advancing footsteps. I writhed in the grip of his shadows, my shrieks muffled. His face soon came into view, looking down at me. He glared at me for a few seconds before grabbing my by my shirt collar and lifting me to his face, my feet well off the ground. I tried to kick, until my legs were lashed together by my ankles.

"What made you think it was a smart idea to anger a hungry vampire?" He snarled.

I cringed away from him, closing my eyes. He dropped me abruptly. I looked around, not seeing him. The shadows melted away, and I sat up. This didn't seem right at all…

Let's see…he wants me to get up and bolt for the door, right? There I will be caught inches from the door and harm will descend upon me. If, however, I obediently stay here, I'm the easiest target ever devised. But maybe if I take away the fun of chasing, he won't feel compelled to torture me before having dinner. That's not exactly a _good_ plan, but there aren't any of those right now.

So I sat there, trembling, knowing he was lurking in one of the many shadows that covered this room.

I felt a cold puff of air on my neck, and whipped around in alarm. I was greeted by the huge snarling face of the hellhound, and I screamed again. Its jaws opened wide and its head tilted a little, its mouth easily large enough to bite me in half.

I leapt to my feet, and ran to the door, ignoring my first plan. The dog got up from its crouch, and it still stood as tall as I was. I got the door open and ran screaming down the hall.

After a few minutes of panicked sprinting, I ran into Walter.

"Hello, Pura. Was that you screaming? I was just on my way to investigate. I had feared someone was being murdered." He laughed.

"Yes I was! Help!" I gasped, panting from the three-floor run. Walter gave me a questioning look. "I was messing around and now Alucard's mad and wants to eat me!" My words were rushed. I gave him the abridged version because frankly, there's a really good chance that Alucard's going to kill me in about five minutes.

"Oh dear…" Walter said quietly. "You're looking for somewhere to hide until he's calmed down then?"

"Will that work?"

"Yes, it's best just to stay out of his way until he gets over it. Come along." I followed him. He seemed to walk purposely slowly, making me nervous…well, more so than I already was.

He reached a random room. "Here." He said, opening the door. I walked in and looked around.

From behind me, the door slammed and locked. I ran to it, hitting it with the side of my fist.

"Walter you fucking bastard!" I screamed. My first feeling was anger, but fear that accompanied this sickeningly familiar situation soon made me shake. "Why…?" I whimpered. "Why do it again…?" I would have gone on, but a gloved hand wrapped around my throat and pulled me backwards.

"Now, now," He whispered in my ear as he tilted my head back, "it's not Walter's fault you made such a bad decision."

He moved his face up my neck, inhaling deeply. My struggling began to grow weak as he tightening his grip on my throat. He moved back and looked me over.

My vision began to go black, as I felt him shift his hand to wrap around the back of my neck, still somehow cutting off my air. The last thing I saw was him, fangs razor sharp in his open mouth, ready to bite down on my neck.

I lost consciousness right when he got close enough for me to feel his cold breath spread over my throat.

* * *

I woke with a start, my hand immediately flying up to feel my neck. I heard a chuckle and turned quickly towards the sound.

"Don't worry, I didn't bite you." Alucard purred. I shrank back a little, still freaked out. "Don't think that all of that was the 'Halloween pay back' scaring you, that was only retaliation. It doesn't count for later."

I glared. "I throw a handful of pumpkin at you…and you make me go insane with fear?" It was this time I notice I had been laid on a couch, though _where_ this couch was, I had no idea.

"Are you…_surprised_? I thought you knew better by now."

I scoffed angrily and threw the pillow at him. He batted it away easily with a quiet chuckle; I got up and stormed off, slamming the door.

He followed me, not hindered by silly things like doors.

"You'll be happy to hear, I was able to get you out for Halloween. Tell your friends to meet you at the front gates; I presume they're picking you up by car?"

I turned around to look at him. "What? You were able to do that? And yeah, they are… Wow, Alucard, thank you!" I deliberated for a second, and decided to hug him. "This almost makes up for you being an ass!"

He laughed. "Oh, and be back by midnight or I'm going to have to come after you."

Aww, nothing good starts before midnight…oh well, if I whine about it, it'll mostly likely result in removal of Halloween privileges.

So I guess I'll just hug this vampire.

* * *

Halloween night came around, and I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of my friends at seven. Alucard had done my makeup, doing an amazing job. I really looked like a zombie; he had found a tattered white robe in the costume shop, and my skin was a grayish-white…mostly. Across my wrists and neck were horrible-looking cuts; deep, open wounds that showed the slit veins. Really, the blood and details were just painted on my skin and small bits of rubber acted as the torn skin. But it looked so real, I had thought for a second that he had really cut me up when he finally let me look in the mirror after applying it. Smaller cuts were all over my body, and teeth were showing through a hole in my cheek. My robe was ripped up and splattered with fake blood. I drew the line when I saw Alucard cut open a medical blood bag and went to splash it on me.

I waited, sitting on a couch near the main doors. Alucard waited with me; I hope he wouldn't walk out with me and scare my friends…

My phone buzzed, and I leapt up, trying (and failing) to not run out the door.

I ran up to the already packed car and jumped inside.

"Damn Pura, your costume is scary." Was the muffled comment coming from behind the werewolf mask in the front seat. It was Anthony, who I had met while I was cutting the tires of a certain hated coworker. He had come up and stood there as I struggled with the thick tires and blunt knife. I was afraid he was Mitch's friend or something, but after a short conversation, he stood lookout and gave me a better knife. When it turned out he knew Jackie too, we became pretty good friends.

Kyle, dressed as a skeleton, was driving. "What happened to your van this time, Kyle?"

"Well, it caught on fire a bit…"

"What, again?" We had met Kyle at a club, where he had proceeded to get smashed out of his mind. We (being Jackie, Ant, and me) drove him home, and probably will have to again tonight.

"Yeah, again."

I looked around the car, to see Jackie as an angel (exactly the opposite of what she had planned, like most of her plans turn out), and Pete as Dark Knight-style Batman.

"How'd you get a place like _that,_ Pur?"

"Eh, there's a buncha people living there too…kinda like a boarding house, I guess." I'm glad the guards weren't outside right now…that would be difficult to explain.

"Living in that creepy house with that creepy guy? Well, I guess you're in the proper mindset for tonight." Jackie laughed.

"Everyone good?" Kyle called back. We all affirmed that we were. "Well, right then." He blasted the music and slammed on the gas, speeding off as Ant leaned out the window and howled happily. Soon, the entire car-full of random monsters was howling along with him.

We reached a town and cruised around for a bit, looking for somewhere to hide and scare people, as well as scoping out candy-giving houses. A car with a Heath Ledger Joker leaning out of the window passed us, and Pete leaned out his own window and threw something at the Joker. Something in a bag and sticky-looking from under the seat of Kyle's car…so no one really wanted to know what it was. We just laughed as Pete urged Kyle to hurry his ass up and drive faster before the Joker retaliated.

After that adventure was over, we got some candy for a while.

Once we were thoroughly hopped up on sugar, we found a club with a Halloween-themed party going on.

At around 11:30, I badgered Ant into driving me home and back. I couldn't ask Kyle, as he was hammered.

I ran into the house just as the huge grandfather clock bonged twelve. Alucard caught me in his arms, mid-run, making me drop my bag of candy.

"Ah, I was just about to come get you." He lifted me up and sniffed my neck. "Mmm, your blood smells…sweetened." He set me down. "Go get a shower and wash that paint off. You seem uncomfortable in it." And I was…

I did just that, and lied down on my bed in my pajamas afterwards, but not for very long. Alucard wrapped his arms around me from behind and rested his head on my shoulder. He gently licked my neck.

"You still smell so good…if not more so, now that your skin's so soft from the hot water…any chance you'll let me have a little bite? I'll try hard not to drain you…" He chuckled.

"No…no biting…" Bastard made my thoughts fuzzy on purpose…I wasn't messed up nearly enough to let him gnaw on me after his 'game' a few days ago.

"Hmm…Let me have a taste, just a little cut." He seemed like he didn't want to force me into anything…but he _was_ mercilessly manipulating my emotions to benefit him…

"Kay…" I whispered, the word feeling as if it was against my own will. I knew he wasn't controlling me, but…he doesn't have to get directly into my head to make me obey him.

He chuckled. His thumb ran back and forth against my collarbone, and on one pass I felt a sting. He leaned around me and ran his tongue over the scratch.

Once the cut was closed, he looked up. "Thank you," He murmured, and released me.

Hey…It was Halloween night…There's bound to be more horror movies then I could ever hope to see on now!

Alucard was apparently reading my mind, because he picked me up and walked to a room equipped with a TV. Setting me down on a couch, he sat next to me; he was probably going to end up as a horrible-visual shield at some point during the night.

I fell asleep sometime after 'Hostel' (which made me cringe and hide my eyes in the coat a LOT). It might've been in the middle of 'Unrest' because that was boring and stupid as hell, from the little that I can remember.

What I _can_ remember, however, was Alucard pulling my half-sleeping self onto his lap, and letting me fall asleep against his silent chest.

* * *

A/N: Yarsh, that was difficult to do.

I had to stay up till midnight ALL WEEK to get this out by Halloween for you people! And it's eleven pages long…I hope you like it, it cost me quite a bit of sleep-time.

The blood drive's been rescheduled for the 31st…and…well, I had planned to wear my vampire fangs to school for Halloween…and I'm thinkin' I still shall.

Trick-or-treating was fun…Nick with his full beard trying to get candy…He looks so much like Charles Manson! It was hilarious when the old people were asking if his beard was real…

He dressed as a Mudkip. Need I say more?


	50. Christmas

A/N: Wow. I made it to 50 chapters…

You know, I had thought about ending it when Alucard first attacked her I the library. I had an epilogue-kinda conversation planned out between him and Integra, who got there too late. Maybe I'll put it in as a bonus when this is all over…

But anyway, because it's the 50th chapter, I'll give you guys something mentioned WAY back.

I present to you, Teh Christmas Party.

(Yeah, two seasonal chapters…I'm sorry, it just worked out like that.)

Oh, and in that last chapter I forgot to explain: the reason Walter locked her in the room was because he was in on the whole 'Alucard's gonna scare the hell out of Pura' plan. He wasn't just being a heartless bastard.

Also, when I yelled last chapter about not getting the ninth book, it seems every-FUCKING-ONE else did. This is because, it turns out, MY RETAILER SHUT THE FUCK DOWN, WITHOUT AY WARNING AT ALL. My pre-order money won't be refunded. Fuckers. I'm not concerned about my language right now, because I am pissed and saddened, though mostly pissed at this point. Again, going with the thought that those who have seen Hellsing up to the second one can handle dirty language without running around screaming 'MY VIRGIN EARS, THEY BURN FROM THIS PROFANITY!'

Gasp! 700 reviews!? THAT'S FREAKING AWESOME! I LOVE YOU GUYS! (well, 'cept for like 2 of those who left STUPID instead of a review, including the 700th…WHICH WAS ON CHAPTER 8, THEREFORE UNHELPFUL. Seriously, the document's gone; I couldn't change it if I wanted to. And I don't want to. But let's just keep walking…nothing to see here folks.)

* * *

I looked up in wonder at the huge evergreen tree that had appeared in the spacious main living-room-like area. It must have been brought in during the day, while I was sleeping.

I began to walk around it, trying to gauge its height. The problem is, I am a terrible judge of distance. Boxes of shiny baubles and strings of lights were set nearby, ready to be hung on the tree.

Christmas.

I have absolutely nothing against it, in fact I enjoy it. It's just…I never really _celebrated_ it before. At least, not that I can recall. Sure, I went to church on Christmas Eve, and exchanged gifts with my friends. But come Christmas day I was always alone… My friends spent the day with their families. So, I had never really gotten a tree or decorated or anything. I didn't really have enough money to justify buying a tree, and anyway, I had no one to help me set it up. I was never sad that I was alone, because I've never had anything to compare it to.

And now, for the first time I've ever spent the holidays with anyone, it's with a knight, a butler, and a vampire.

I was still gazing up at the tree when I became aware of someone standing next to me. I jumped back slightly; I will never get used to him doing that. He smirked at my reaction before looking up at the tree himself.

"Such odd customs you humans come up with…" he murmured, mostly to himself.

"I like it."

"I suppose you would."

I shot him a glare. "What's that supposed to mean?" It certainly sounded like he was being an ass.

He chuckled. "I merely mean that I know you'd enjoy something like this, absurd as it may be."

I looked back at the tree, accepting his explanation and letting my mind wander. I should go buy some presents for everyone…but what to get people? Integra and Walter were difficult enough to buy for; what the hell am I supposed to get Alucard?!

As I pondered gift possibilities, Alucard walked over to a small end table covered in envelopes. He picked one up and examined it with a smirk. Interested, I went over and looked at the paper he had unfolded from inside the envelope. The thick cream-colored paper was decorated with delicate shiny gold swirls and looked expensive. Noting my curiosity, his red eyes flicked down to me as his smirk turned into an evil grin.

"How interesting. 'Sir Integra Fairbook Wingates Hellsing, you are cordially invited to the Vatican's 40th annual Christmas celebration. Guests are welcome and encouraged.' Ah, the required peacekeeping invitation…I believe you count as a guest, Pura." He said, grinning wickedly.

A Christmas party certainly sounded like fun…but I don't think I counted as a guest, especially if it was addressed to Integra.

Alucard definitely caught the 'sounded like fun' part. "I'm sure I could entice Integra to let you tag along if you wanted to go…" He was still smiling like a creepshow…

I decided to inquire about the aforementioned creeper-grin. "Why are you smiling like that? Are you going to feed me to wolves once I get to the party or something?"

"Of course not, don't be ridiculous." Oh, well good then. His grin widened. "Wolves would spill your blood all over the ground. It'd be such a waste." I stared at him, more than a little freaked out that he had actually taken the time to think about that. He laughed his deep, rumbling, vaguely unsetting laugh. "Anyway, I'm forbidden to go along. The Vatican puts up Integra because they have to, but they absolutely despise me, and for good reason." He evidently loved this fact.

Though…I'd still like to go...Great, now it's gonna bug me.

He chuckled and disappeared. I sighed; what was he going to do now…?

Well whatever. There's two weeks before Christmas and I have some shopping to do. I still had the money from when all my stuff was sold, and a bit saved up from my various jobs. That Target job was the first 'official' job I ever held. Most of the time, I made a living being a street performer. I had taken a class (if you could call it that; more like 'my friend was bored and taught me') on how to juggle and eat fire. Because damn, that kind of show earns a lot of money, well worth the unavoidable tongue-burn at some point during every night and occasional singeing. The 'statue' people always gave me glares when they saw my tip bucket at the end of the day. Every job I have someone hates me…

I guess I should find some way to get out and secretly go shopping without any negative consequences…

* * *

About four days later, I was on my laptop doing nothing of importance in the now pine-tree-scented living room, when Integra walked in, followed by a smirking Alucard. Actually, she had a slight smirk on her face too. What is with everyone and evil half-grins?

"Pura, I hear you'd like to attend the Vatican's Christmas party."

Damn you Alucard. "Er…well yes, sir."

"Alright then. The party's in two days, we all leave at seven. If you have an appropriate dress, wear it." She left with a quiet chuckle.

Alucard glided over and sat next to my confused form on the couch. "What the hell?" I had to ask, finding no other words that matched the situation.

He laughed. "I only mentioned the fact to Integra. She thought it'd be better to let you go and get it out of your system instead of you wanting to go along every year."

There's definitely something wrong here. And no one is going to tell me what it is, are they? Well, since this terrible thing that happens at this Christmas party evidently every year is such a big secret, I guess I have to find out what it is, don't I? Damn my curiosity, damn it to hell!

As it turns out, I do have a dress. Though its appropriateness is debatable. What's 'appropriate'? Because it's knee-length, red, and shows a bit of cleavage with its halter-top. Not really whore-ish, but this _is_ the Vatican we're talking about…

Unfortunately I didn't think about this again until the day of the party, and freaked out a bit.

I was sitting in my room reading when it struck me. "Damn it!" I yelped.

Alucard must have been passing by. He stepped in through the wall, nearly making my heart stop. "Something wrong?" He purred.

"Could you give me a sensible and honest opinion for once and not trick me? Please?"

"I suppose I could try." I gave him a begging look. "Fine. I won't lie." His smirk disappeared as he agreed not to screw with me.

"Alright wait here." I grabbed the dress and dashed into the bathroom to change.

I walked out, a little embarrassed. It did, as I said, show a little skin. Alucard titled his head the slightest bit.

"Um…Does this dress make me look like a whore?" I asked quietly.

"Not at all." He murmured, getting up and walking towards me. His hands slid over my bare shoulders to keep me still as he leaned down to inhale at my neck. "You look good in red…" I suppose the definition of 'good' was arguable. Either it was the more common, 'you look nice' good, or _his _more common, 'I'm going to eat you now' good.

He moved closer, sliding his tongue up my neck and chuckling when I shivered. His arm also circled around my waist, good thing, too; I felt like falling over.

"Be careful; if any vampires manage sneak in you'll be in trouble." He leaned up, smirking.

"Do you count?"

Alucard laughed. "No, don't worry. Integra would be mad if I put holes in your neck during the Vatican's Christmas party." He bent back down and breathed in the scent of my blood after tilting my head back. "Though, now that you've put the thought in my head, be careful when you get home; I might decide to have a bite." He grinned against my throat, noticing my increased heart rate.

He released me. "You should get ready, you've leaving soon." This was accompanied by a smirk. What in the _hell_ is going on at this party that's going to freak me out? That's the only reason I could think of that everyone found it so amusing that I go there, and I wanted to know what it was.

He disappeared, and I went off to get ready. It took about thirty minutes, after which I went off in search of a suitable jacket. I didn't feel like answering questions or getting dirty looks all night about the 'tattoo' on my back. Not to mention the scar that showed through the dress straps and my hair.

I just barely made it to the car in time; any later and I would be getting daggers thrown at me by Integra, both figurative and literally.

We soon reached the large building that was obviously home to the party. White lights sparkled everywhere, and there was more than one limo parked outside.

A thought struck me. "Sir, why does the Vatican hold their party here in Britain?" I asked Integra.

"The Queen requests that they do if they're going to invite the Knights. It's easier for them to come here, as they often travel together, than it would be for all of us to go there separately. A fight might spark up between all of us on a jet together, especially because I'd bring Alucard." She answered quickly, while stepping out of the limo. She still wore a suit, and I was feeling a bit out of place. Also I could tell that these wedge-heels would kill me later.

I walked behind Walter and Integra as the doorman held to door open. Then I realized why they were so amused that I go to this party.

Children.

Small, dressed-up children. Everywhere.

Integra looked back at me, trying not to laugh as she watched me attempt to recompose my expression away from absolute horror.

How had they…? Oh, right. Alucard. He knew some of my past from nearly killing me, the bastard. Maybe I'll take back his gift. Ok, I can't _exactly_ 'take it back', but whatever.

No, I don't like kids. They're irritating, noisy, and often sticky. And they break things. It might be from all the times while working in Target that I had to deal with children running around and breaking things. When I tried and stop them, their mothers swooped in and started yelling at me like I was trying to freaking strangle their 'precious little babies'. No, I wasn't; I'd have to clean up all the stuff your kid is throwing around, and part of it was out of my paycheck if I didn't stop him. So whenever I grabbed a vase out of their spawn's hands, I was met with a smack in the back of the head and being reported. This, going on multiple times, sparked a great hatred for children.

Guess I'm stuck here…damn it all.

I wandered around for a while, finding a few people my own age and talking with them for a while. I even exchanged email and IM info with some of them, and made some friends. Turns out, these kids are from an orphanage. Well, that's a little sad, but I'm still not going out of my way to interact with them.

After a while, the older kids were able to leave, going as a group. The younger children stayed, which sucked.

I sat down on a couch, feeling the pain from the heels after three hours of this party. I wonder when we were leaving…

"Are yae 'aving fun, child?" A voice with a thick Scottish accent asked.

It made me jump, and I whipped toward the sound that came from far above my head. A priest (which was obvious by his attire) stood next to me, smiling kindly. But he looked like he was almost as tall as Alucard, and he was more muscularly built. A cross shined on his chest, dangling from a chain around his neck. A scar broke across his scruffy face.

Must be a Vatican guy. "Er, yeah, it's okay." Bad idea to add anything about the kids; I understand the Vatican brought them here.

"Ah thought all of yae older ones 'ad left…Ah 'aven't seen yae around mooch; are yae new?"

Hmm…I suppose I am new. I've never been to a party like this before, nor had I even ever met anyone from the Vatican. "Yeah, I am."

He put his hand out to me, "Father Anderson."

I shook his hand (which, by the way, made me feel like I was freaking tiny. Damn it, everywhere I go there are freakishly huge people hanging around.) "I'm Pura, nice to meet you, Father."

He sat down next to me. Well this is awkward.

"This party is always fun for tha' little children." His friendly grin twitched away for a second "If only those Hellsing dogs wouldn't be invited." Wait, _what_?

"Hm?" I asked, trying to sound innocent enough.

"Din't worry, I won't let those protestant heathens near any of yae. Ah'll have them in pieces a'fore they can even get within shouting distance." He glared over at Walter, who was getting punch. "Bloody monsters, every one of them…" he growled to himself.

"Oh, good then." I said quietly, looking away. Shit, he thinks I'm from the orphanage, doesn't he? He definitely looks powerful enough to kill me, but he's a priest…they're supposed to be kind to everyone, right? Right?!

He crossed his arms and, in an unusual lull in the crowd noise, I heard the slightest jingle. From being a street performer, I knew the sound. You had to know the noise. If you didn't, you'd be in a lot of trouble, a lot faster.

This guy had knives on him.

I was stuck with the predicament of getting the hell out of this situation. This guy's freaking scary. But I can't just get up and run away. I looked around the room, searching for some sort of distraction.

"Hm? What're those kids doing over there?" I looked around him at a dense group of noisy children who could have possibly been doing something they shouldn't have.

"Eh?" he asked, looking over. Miraculously, he got up and started walking towards them.

As soon as he was a few steps away with his back turned, I bolted away from the general area. I found out that I can run pretty well in heels.

I found Walter and Integra, and gave them a pleading look. "Help, there's some crazy priest saying he wants to kill everyone at Hellsing!"

Neither of their expressions changed. If anything they looked bored. "Yes, that's Father Anderson." Walter replied. Integra decided he had everything under control and went back to talking with some other guy.

"Well he's got weapons on him!"

"So do we."

"We…do?" I didn't…why didn't I get any weapons? No fair…

"Yes, most of us do. No one would start anything, as much as _some_ would like to. We and the Vatican have a treaty, and, though slightly uneasy, it's still valid…How exactly did you come to know all this? He doesn't usually even talk to any of us…Has he threatened you?" His tone seemed to suggest direct threats were bad.

"Not exactly to me…I think he's confused."

Walter was about to say something when a hand clamped over my shoulder, bringing me within inches of screeching like a cat that's had its tail trodden on.

"Dinna bother the children, yea damn Hellsing dog." Anderson growled from behind me. I still wanted to screech.

"Father Anderson, you may want to ask Pura's opinion in all of this." Walter's voice held a hint of amusement. Why don't you help me, damn you?!

"What?" He looked down at me. I don't know what hinted him in, the shaking or the absolute terror on my face.

His expression changed into complete rage upon the realization that he had been talking civilly to a member of Hellsing. I whimpered.

"Yae little protestant whore!" He snarled. I would have been offended if not for the fact that I was scared out of my mind. I really, really, really don't want to be stabbed, ever.

"Would you mind returning her?" Walter asked, completely calm.

He shoved me roughly towards Walter. "Yae're lucky ah don't decapitate 'er for trying to infiltrate the Vatican. This little thing was pesterin' some of the children; God knows what she was trying to find oot. "

"If I may, I don't think she meant any harm. I don't think she had any knowledge the Vatican would even be here, much less try to spy on you."

"That may be. Yae filthy bastards still make me sick; corrupting young girls." He shot Walter a look of disgust and stormed off.

"That's an ordinary occurrence, isn't it?" I asked after a few seconds of being confused.

"Yes." He probably knew this would happen…

I exhaled angrily. "Why did I not get any weapons?" I muttered.

"Because you dislike small children." Wow you're funny, Walter. "Also there's nowhere for you to conceal a gun."

"Not my fault…" I growled under my breath. I could've gotten stabbed in the head at a Christmas party, and he's just acting like this is entirely normal. And I was specifically told to wear a dress.

"Come on, we're going home." Integra stated, already beginning to walk towards the door.

Finally…

When we at last got back, I went straight to my room, pulling the jacket off. The second I kicked the door closed out of habit, Alucard wrapped his arms around me from behind and picked me up. He leaned in close to my exposed neck.

As addled as this made me, I had enough sense left to fight back. "Hell no!" I snarled, fighting. "I hate children! You know damn well I hate children, you learned that with your freaky memory-eating-thing! I also nearly got my head cut off, and scared out of my mind; there is no way in hell I'm letting you bite me!"

He chuckled. "You, my dear, don't have to _let_ me do anything. I'm quite able to take your blood. Even if you scream until your vocal chords snap and fight as hard as you possibly can, it can't keep my fangs out of your throat." He purred in my ear.

I froze in his grasp, suddenly fearing for my life.

A deep laugh rumbled against my mostly bare upper back. "I won't, don't worry, but you'd benefit from remembering that I _could_." His tongue flicked across my neck. "But I am curious; what would it take for you to agree to me having a bite?"

"Why would I tell you that?" If I even had a circumstance that needed to be met to allow him to bite me, how would it be a good idea to tell him? He'd just carry it out now and proceed gnaw on my neck.

"Smart girl," He murmured, amused.

He let me go, disappearing as he did. I guess to let me change.

I had time to think now that I wasn't about screaming children, insane priests, or hungry vampires. And the thought on my mind was how 'fun' Christmas day will be…

* * *

A/N: I ran smack-dab into the eternal question: what the fuck kind of accent does Anderson have?

It was either Irish or Scottish. And we have word from a REAL LIFE SCOTSMAN that he's Scottish.

Also, I decided that Anderson's Home For Bi-Polar Children is somewhere near Britain.

In other news, today in gym class, I was backhanded.

Backhanded hard enough to send my glasses skittering across the gym floor, but not before they were smashed into my eyes and bridge of my nose.

They're broken. Badly. I need new ones.

In fact, they're so badly damaged(and so was my face; I was checked for a concussion, and now I'm scared I might have one.) that I was sent home because I'm freaking blind without them. I hate speedball. That game is the devil incarnate.

On the happy side of Jen's life, OTAKON POSSIBILITIES ARE HAPPENING! SQUEEE!

Marie and I are cosplaying if she gets permission. I'll be running around with a half of a hula-hoop and singing about my hat having three corners, and Marie will be prancing along with me, screaming about a purple car and being orange and having no idea what time it is.

And that description ushers in a game. Guess who we're going as, and you win…a life-time supply of air! Offer not valid when underwater, in space, and/or choking. Restrictions apply, results may vary.

B/N: Also! I will be jumping merrily off roofs of houses that house gay council members that are shaped like large dice! Plus, I will always be drunk and hate Jambi!

* * *

Christmas finally rolled around. I was anxious. I had a festive Santa hat on, but I was anxious.

The mansion was too eerily quiet today, since the soldiers had been let out during the holidays. Evidently, no vampires attacked around Christmas. Too many crucifixes and manger scenes up.

It was nearing the end of the day. Everything until now had gone pretty well. My gifts had been well-received. I got a box of cigars for Integra (High-end ones, too. I could afford them because, you see, some of my friends aren't exactly concerned about 'legal' things, but nobody had to know that.). A rare antique book in some freaky language for Walter to decode (again with the 'you don't need to know where I got this' mindset.). Of course, Walter would later find a large box sitting in the middle of the library. Inside that box will be another box. Inside that box shall be yet another box. Inside _that_ box will be a locked safe with the combination carved on it in hieroglyphics. Inside the safe will be a bag of gummi bears. It's a shame I won't be there to see his confusion after all the trouble I went through to set all that up.

I had been given a game in which one shoots at zombies. Also a system to go with it. It made me a happy little Pura.

All I had left to do was wait for Alucard to wake up and give him his gift. So, up until this point in time, everything had been going great.

The waiting was killing me. I decided to go look for him, rather than sit here until he felt like showing up. I checked in the mirror that everything was set, and went off to go get him.

Eventually, I managed to find him. He was sitting in a chair, drinking a glass of deep red wine that might have been blood.

"Hey." I said walking over to him.

"Good evening." His voice echoed ominously in the stone-walled room.

"I got you a Christmas gift." I stated, standing next to him, hands behind my back.

"Oh? And what's that?" He looked up. "Before you answer, why do you have a ribbon around your neck? Another bizarre human ritual?"

"No. It's because I got you a Christmas gift." I tilted my head up slightly.

He blinked. His smirk disappeared, but only for a second. A grin quickly replaced the surprise.

I didn't even see him get up, but the floor was suddenly gone from underneath my feet. He held me against his chest, chuckling quietly as he carried me off to God knows where. This was beginning to look like a very bad idea. Ignoring my inner fear, I leaned my head against him and closed my eyes, concentrating on fighting the urge to, well, fight.

My eyes flew open with a gasp when I was laid down.

"Jumpy, are you?" He purred, leaning over me.

I scanned my surroundings; judging by the fact that we had gone down, I knew this wasn't my room. But I was lying on a four-poster bed on top of fluffy red blankets and pillows trimmed with gold. I had no idea where we were. Some guest room? I don't know, there are so many doors that I find to be locked deep in the dungeons.

Alucard put his hands on my shoulders, holding me down gently as he climbed onto the bed. "Are you sure about this, my dear? You seem…hesitant." He observed as he brushed my hair away, his fingers lightly grazing my neck.

"I'm fine." I insisted. Actually, I was terrified. But he didn't have to know that…or hear me say it, at least.

"If you say so." He smirked.

He moved closer, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. He bent towards my neck and I tensed, but only felt the ribbon on my neck come undone. I opened my previously shut eyes to see him leaning up slowly, the end of the ribbon between his teeth.

Flicking his head, he tossed the ribbon to the side. He neared my throat again, and I shut my eyes and tried not to hyperventilate. His long tongue slowly slid across my neck and his cold breath spread over it; I fought to not dig my nails into the bed and arch my back.

He drew his tongue back, and hovered over my throat for a moment.

He rested his grin-bared fangs on my neck, over my jugular. I felt it pulse strongly under the pressure he began applying to my skin. I took a breath and held it just before his canines sunk into my throat. His lower fangs broke the skin too, but not over anything major.

Alucard's arms moved to wrap around my middle, pinning my arms to my sides. I hadn't planned to fight anyway…unless I started to think I was going to die…

He drank slowly, the blood in his mouth pooling over my throat and feeling burning hot in contrast to his freezing lips.

He swallowed another mouthful of my blood, and I started feeling dizzy. I made a quiet noise in protest; he just held me tighter.

My head spun, and I felt sick. Goddamn it not again…

He sighed, whether in content or disappointment that he was going to stop before he killed me I don't know, and he opened his mouth, carefully removing his fangs from my throat.

I fought to stay awake as he closed the puncture wounds on my neck, his icy tongue numbing the pain from the bite. I knew I was never going to win against passing out from blood loss, but I tried anyway. He licked up the blood that had dripped down my neck in a desperate attempt to escape slowly, enjoying himself.

"Thank you, little one." He whispered in my ear once he was done. His breath was…warm. Or, warmer, at least. From the heat of the blood he just drained from me? "You're brave when you want to be, I'll give you that. Now sleep; there's no reason for you to fight it. Nothing will happen to you if you sleep, I promise." He laughed quietly, and I gave in. "Merry Christmas." he purred as I drifted. He laid his coat over me, wrapping me up tightly. I heard him chuckle once, and I could tell from behind my closed eyes that the candles had gone out.

So, this is what Christmas is like. Maybe not normal, but…it felt nice to spend the holiday with people.

Even if they do like to drain my blood from time to time.

* * *

A/N: WOOO YEAH CHRISTMAS CHAPTER DONE!

Ooooooh, look at that shiny new review button! Why don't you click it and see what happens!?

Yes, shameless begging.

Forgive me.

B/N: Risqué much? Jennifer Pothering Christ, you trampy little bastard.

A/N2: GASP! HOW DARE YOU GOOD SIR!

I am in no way a bastard.

By the way, did you like your hideously mutated inbred plant-children?


	51. Snow

A/N: Dear readers, you are awesome (erg, most of you. Don't worry, there's only like two in the history of ever, and if your review didn't receive a reply filled with snark and sarcasm and overall bitchyness, you're fine.). If it were possible and legal, I would marry you all. Seriously, I have been getting such kind reviews, and it brings my day way up.

Thank you all so much, really.

In other news…

Raw OVA 5 is on youtube…I can't really get past the first part, because all that I could think was 'What the fuck?…what…the…fuck?…what the FUCK?!' etc. I'm really glad my parent weren't home when this attempt was made, or I'd probably be in trouble…

I love the fact that we get BBC now…

This took too long. But maybe it'll be worth it…

B/N: You're a fucking sap. Sapface.

A/N2: Fine then. You're all Skitses. You are the Skitsiest Skits I've ever seen, and you're the one putting these socks under these flowerpots. IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU, HOBAG?!

* * *

Even in the impossibly dark dungeon my room was contained in, I knew it. It was like a sixth sense, just a funny little feeling, or a sweet smell in the air that didn't actually exist. I hastily threw the covers aside and bolted out of my room. I hate the fact that my room is so far from a window.

When I finally did get upstairs, my intuition was proven to be correct.

At least two feet of snow had fallen, and was continuing to softly fall from the sky. Even inside, I could almost hear the near-silent 'fwuf' as the little puffs landed on the ground.

I shrieked happily on the inside at such a sight.

I like the snow. Call me crazy or childish, but I like it. Plus, it's perfect for all kinds of tricks on unsuspecting people.

After breakfast (it was like 3:00 when I woke up, and by the time I had gotten ready for the day it was five) I pulled on a jacket and skipped outside. I knew I was going to regret this decision when the freezing cold got through the material, but whatever.

There was a path in the snow from the door to the street, but paths are no fun. I leapt into the untouched snow on the side; a bad idea. It was almost up to my waist, and I got stuck pretty soon. I made my way back to the path, an idea already in my head.

I curled up in my dark hiding place, listening closely. It was just a matter of time before I heard the crunch of a two sets of boots in the snow, walking along that not-fun path. Another patrol was coming by…perfect.

The noise approached, along with the low murmur of the guard's voices. I smiled, loving this.

The second they were right in front of my hiding spot, I burst out of the snow screaming like a banshee, wings splayed threateningly.

"FUCKING HELL!" One guard screamed as they both fell flat on their asses and I hopped back down into the hole I had dug in the snow and carefully covered up. I giggled wildly and crawled away through the short tunnel.

As it turns out, controlling ice is helpful in digging snow tunnels. (What a shock.) Not only could I move shovelfuls of snow at one time with my bare hands, but my ice prevented my hands from getting cold. No gloves required…but I wish I could get it further than my arms; damn I was freezing…I had been out here in snow for a good part of three hours. I had engaged in a snowball fight with a few of the soldiers, and got my ass kicked.

A sound filters through the low blue glow of the packed snow. "Goddamn it, Pura." One of them mutters. "Between you and that damn vampire…"

I hear them get up and dust the snow off themselves. "Oh shi—" the second guard begins and I hear them both leave hastily.

It didn't take long to figure out what had scared them off. The low crunch of boots on snow soon was heard, along with the flapping sound of a heavy coat in the wind.

I dug a handful of snow out of the wall, and crawled as quietly as I could to the opening in the snow.

When the footfalls passed, I popped up and tossed the snowball at him, smacking him in the back. I ducked down, hiding. The sound of his boots stopped, but somehow I knew he was walking towards me.

An image swam into my mind. It was a scene from a nature documentary. A polar bear walks silently across the snow, sniffing at the ground. The camera cuts away to show a baby seal hidden under the snow. It goes back to the bear, which begins digging through the ice. It had found the baby seal, cringing under two feet of snow, by scent, and is now clawing through the snow for it. It dragged the poor screaming thing out of its hiding place by its throat and proceeded to rip the seal apart and eat it.

It's not hard to guess which part I'm playing. Fuck.

The image had just barely ended in my head when a hand bust through the snow and lifted me out.

"You know," He was saying as he effortlessly pulled me out of the ice, not even seeming to notice my fighting "I'll bet your blood looks just beautiful splashed across the snow." He held me against his chest, my struggling being ignored. "Yes…" He purred in my ear "It would dye this blinding white such a wonderful shade of red…"

I whimpered, wishing very much to keep my blood off the snow and in my body as much as possible. Because I kind of need it.

"You just never learn, do you?"

I opened my mouth to argue…but realized he was right. I have no foresight at all, and I really should find a way to get some. It could prevent, oh, say, getting my throat slit.

He chuckled. "Well, I can't think of a better time to teach you how to escape a vampire." He gently slid his hand around my neck. "And if I catch you, I'll have some lunch."

So he wasn't so much 'teaching' as he was 'hunting…'

He dropped me in the snow and disappeared. I wasted no time in getting up and shaking the snow off my jacket before it gave me frostbite. I couldn't feel my wings, so I might already have some.

I looked around quickly, wanting to get out of the open as quickly as possible. My mind raced through what the situation was. He was showing me how to get away from a vampire, and, however thin of a veil that idea might be, I doubt he's going to go all-out on me. Well, actually, if he did that the entire surrounding area would soon be erased from existence. But whatever, he not going to attack me as if I'm really a threat. He's just gonna have fun; bad news for me anyway.

I knew going back to the house was probably a bad idea; something that would result in him actually getting angry. Still, he was definitely serious about biting me, so I should really get out of this general area.

I tried to start running, but the snow up to my waist slowed me down substantially. I'd also feel a_ lot_ better if I could actually see where Alucard was. The overpowering silence combined with the snow drifting down from the darkening sky was deeply unsettling. And knowing there was a vampire out here somewhere who wanted to sink his fangs into me didn't help the situation at all.

I bounded through the snow (bounding being the easiest way to travel quickly), making my way towards the trees on the outskirts of the estate. I figured if I could climb one, I could have a good view of everything; I'd be able to see him coming. The reason I didn't fly was that for one, my wings were freezing and stretching them out toward the cold rather than keeping them close to me was something I don't want to do. Another reason is that flying when its snowing is practically impossible, from the cold wind, snow in my eyes, and unforgiving air currents that accompanied bad weather.

Something slammed into me unexpectedly, throwing me to the ground and going with me.

I squirm under Alucard, my arms pinned to the ground by the powerful grip on my wrists and my lower body immobile from the vampire pretty much laying on top of me.

His nose was already at my throat, and his body shook slightly with silent chuckling. (My body, alternatively, shook from negative temperatures.)

"I'm afraid you've lost, my dear." He purred.

Was there ever a way for me to win? He must have been reading my mind; he laughed. I felt his breath on my throat, and through the numbing freezing feeling, I'm pretty sure I felt his fangs graze my neck too.

Alucard's tongue, cold as the snow I was pressed to, slid across my throat eagerly.

I whimpered and braced myself against the inevitable bite. I had pissed him off and he was hungry; I knew he wouldn't ignore the reasons to drink my blood.

But, rather than sink his fangs into my neck, he paused. "Hm?" He hummed questioningly, leaning away and looking down at me.

My teeth chattered.

He sighed. His expression was beyond disappointment. "Pathetic little creature…" He murmured.

Before I could ask him what he meant by that, he picked me up and started walking towards the house.

He seemed to understand my confusion anyway. "If I drained your blood now, while you were this cold, you might get hypothermia before I could get you inside."

I wonder…does he actually care about me or does he just care about my blood…?

I leaned against him, trying instinctively to get warm. Tiny snowflakes hit my face and melted, making me colder. I looked up at Alucard, noting that the snowflakes just brushed off his skin, not melting. Some caught in his hair…I wanted to reach up and ruffle his hair, shaking them out. Something told me that was overstepping my boundaries, and doing so would end up badly. Plus, I'd have a hell of a time trying to reach.

We reached the front door, which he phased through. Despite the fact that I knew he was far colder than the air in the mansion, I stayed cuddled up to him.

He walked into a darkened room, and sat down on a couch I couldn't see. A fire started in front of us, startling me. He chuckled when I jumped, and wrapped his coat around me. I didn't even know he had taken it off…

I didn't care when he took it off either…this felt too good. I snuggled into the coat and sighed happily as I curled up in his lap.

Alucard leaned down and inhaled deeply "Ah, yes, your blood's warming up nicely…"

I flinched at his words. I had just been wondering what he cared about…

He noticed. "Something wrong?" He purred, wrapping his arms around my upper body. I shook my head to answer. "I can just read your mind to find out you know…"

I knew he could, and in fact he probably was already. I don't want to tell him outright; he'd probably just make me feel worse.

He leaned his head on top on mine. His hair tickled my face, but for some reason I didn't brush it away.

He looked up. "Ah, there's a mission." I started to get up, but he wouldn't let me. He put me on the couch as he got up and took his coat back. "No, you're staying here tonight."

Alucard left; I felt abandoned. I didn't know why. This mansion just felt empty, I guess…

* * *

Hours later, I had gone to bed but I wasn't sleeping. I wondered if Alucard had gotten back yet.

A few seconds later, an arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me into a vampire. He's got such great timing…

"By the way, my dear…" He whispered in my ear. "Happy birthday."

I gasped quietly; how had he even known…?

A few things I've always known; my name and my birthday. I couldn't remember much else from my life before six years ago (seven, now, I corrected), but I held on to a little bit. January 14th…I hadn't told anyone.

"Two days before you met me…you unlucky girl." He chuckled.

"How am I unlucky…?"

His hand found my neck. He traced the scar that ran around my throat. "I can think of a few reasons." He purred, rubbing his thumb along my jaw. "But…"

I turned over to look at him. "What?"

He slid his hand around the back of my neck. He leaned close; I felt his breath on my face. "I feel bad for not getting you a present in return for Christmas…" He whispered.

I didn't register what he said.

His lips were gently pressed against mine. I wasn't breathing.

He leaned away, too soon for me. I was in shock; my muscles were unresponsive but my heart was slamming so fast I couldn't find an individual beat. Alucard I love you. If I could make my vocal chord's work I'd tell you.

I felt him laugh silently. "Pura, was that the first time you've been kissed?" It was. I still couldn't speak. He chuckled. "Poor inexperienced creature…" He placed his hand over my racing heart. "Weren't you just thinking today that I didn't actually care about you?" He laughed. I could barely hear him…

A scenario ran through my mind. I looked up at his smirk. My hands flew up and knotted in his silky black hair, pulling him towards me. I pressed my lips to his in a much deeper, more passionate kiss.

I snapped out of my little fantasy before he read my mind. It'd be stupid to delude myself into thinking he was doing little more than humoring me.

"Goodnight, my little one." Alucard purred in my ear. I expected him to leave; it was pretty early for him.

But he stayed. His shadows wrapped around me, and my tensed muscles relaxed. I nuzzled against his chest; a low, content growl rumbled in his throat. His hand slid down my back, under the blankets. I realized I just had a bra and underwear on as he traced little patterns over my spine.

He turned onto his back, bringing me along. My ear was to his chest as his low humming started. I'd never be able to resist that. Whatever he wanted me to do at that moment; I'd comply without a second thought.

The lines between reality and sleep faded; I loved him…and I could almost believe that he loved me back

* * *

A/N: This wasn't because everyone was clamoring for it. I had this planned. Coincidental.

B/N: Fucking birthday, Christmas birthday.

Fucking Christmas, Christmas Christmas.


	52. Pets

A/N: Hey, I just got my blood donor card in the mail…neat, now I know my blood type. Does it really have to come in a bright red envelope, pasted to a bright red piece of paper, and be bright red? Do they think no one knows what color blood is…? It's red, in case you were wondering.

I smell a troll. Enjoy your furry ears and the bridge you live under!

I GOT A NEW GUINEA PIG! I've named him Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris and Mistah T: they'll fucking stab you.

This chapter took a while. I haven't been happy with some of my recent chapters, because I rushed the ends. I don't wanna do that anymore, so sorry if it takes longer, but if I can keep something from bugging the hell out of me, I'd like to. Also I'm a bit lazy.

Ummm…We had a snow day today. But it wasn't just for the snow. Some kid decided to plan on bringing guns into our school and killing people. The kid got arrested, and now I'm a smidge freaked out.

* * *

My dreams were troubled.

Well, tonight they were, anyway. It was about five days after my birthday. When I woke up after that, he was gone, but then again I didn't expect him to stay. Sleeping then would have been going to bed about seven hours early for him.

It didn't make sense…why should I have a nightmare after he finally kissed me? (And on the mouth no less!) But here I was, tormented and locked in some frightening dream.

This nightmare was scary, but not in a direct way. I was lying in the dark somewhere. Something cold and powerful was slowly wrapping around me, binding me up with strong, thick coils of muscle. The thing slithered closer to my neck, and my mind decided now was a great time to wake up.

I hummed sleepily, my eyes still closed. My arm was asleep; I was lying on it. My other arm, however, was stretched up over my head. I groaned and tried to roll over, only to find such an action to be impossible. I couldn't move…and it was getting harder and harder to breathe…

I panicked, realizing I've just woken up to a nightmare. I looked up at what was holding me down; a huge black snake was slowly wrapping around me, its body undulating as it moved to further constrict me.

My free hand flew down to claw the tight coils off, but when I made contact with its shiny black scales, it was as if the snake was made of glue. My arm was stuck to the creature's body, its skin writhing under my own. To my horror, my arm began being pulled down inside the thing, my struggling useless. The pitch-black slowly engulfed my arm; swirling over my skin and making it disappear completely.

I watched in shock, waiting for the pain. None came, and I was startled when I felt my arm touch to my side. It was promptly pressed tight to me under the thing's powerful body.

I whimpered as the snake slid effortlessly around my neck, applying light pressure, as if warning me of the damage it could really do.

It slithered around to face me. It was huge; its head was larger than a human's; easily able to swallow me. I cringed away as its forked tongue flicked out and danced across my face.

A low, dry hiss emanated from the thing, and I screamed. The thick ropes made of pure muscle began to tighten further, every breath forced shorter with each exhale.

A large gloved hand slid across my cheek and clamped over my mouth. My yells were muffled but I didn't stop screaming or struggling.

I became aware of the snake's choking hold loosening. Soon, the serpentine body was gone, vanished into thin air. Well, except for the hand over my mouth and one rock-hard coil which I soon recognized to be an arm, still wrapped around my waist. At the same time I noticed this, I felt the surface my back was pressed to shake lightly, and heard a low, irritating sound.

Alucard's laughter.

I really should have realized he was fucking with me; the black snake, its red eyes, the presence of it in my dreams, freaky melty powers; but I tend to not be very attentive to little details like that when my breathing was being cut off by a nightmarish creature seemingly intent on eating me while I was still screaming.

"What's the matter, Pura? I thought you said you liked snakes." He purred in my ear, his hand now off my mouth and wrapped gently around my neck. "I seem to remember you bristling in annoyance when I said little girls fear such creatures."

"I said I wanted a snake. I didn't say I wanted a snake _to eat me_." I snapped, and squirmed in his grip. "Why'd you have to do this when I was sleeping anyway?"

"I was merely looking out for you; you fell asleep on the couch. We wouldn't want you to hurt your back, now would we?" He murmured, his voice mocking.

I looked up at him as best I could, giving him a 'Yeah, sure I fucking believe that' type of glare.

Alucard chuckled. He bent my head back and leaned in to my throat, pressing his lips to the side of my neck. "You were lying here, unsuspecting, your innocence showing itself as you dreamed of whatever happy little things humans dream…you looked _so_ deliciously helpless." His smirking lips parted and his cold tongue slid up my neck, following the vein, gliding along my throat with deliberate slowness, just to make me shiver.

It worked, of course.

My body shuddered and my eyes went half-closed. I involuntarily arched my neck to the side, exposing more of my bare throat to him. Alucard tightened his hold on me, a playful growl rumbling in his chest.

"How strange, just a few minutes ago you cowered in fear when I did this…" he chuckled. He nuzzled against my neck, grinning.

As he moved his face back and forth, his smile-exposed fangs made a small slice on the side of my neck.

"Hey…" I protested, trying to wriggle away.

He laughed, his grip staying tight. "Oh no, what have I done?" Right, like this wasn't your plan the entire time… "Allow me to fix you up…it'd be such a shame for your blood to go to waste…" He purred. It was only after it had happened that I realized he had moved to lie on top of me.

Alucard licked up the warm blood that had began to spill down my neck, his hair tickling my skin. His cool lips touched to the cut itself, so gently he could have been kissing my neck. He could have been, until he began drawing blood out of the cut that was evidently far deeper than I had thought. Bastard nicked something vital, didn't he?

I started to feel lightheaded…was he somehow cutting deeper without me knowing?

I whimpered, trying to let him know he was taking too much.

His deep chuckling entered my mind. _"Relax, my dear. I'm not going to hurt you."_

I still tried to squirm away from him, not believing his assurance. He of course wasn't going to allow that.

_"Now now, girl…you wouldn't want to accidentally slit your own throat wide open on my fangs while you're struggling, now would you?"_ He gently pressed his teeth against my throat; a very efficient way to make me stop whatever I'm doing.

Alucard licked the gash. His tongue lightly prodded the cut, and I yelped quietly. I tried again to twist away from him, but he held me tight to him.

"My, awfully fidgety tonight, aren't you?" he chuckled against my neck.

"Well that _hurt_…" I mumbled, forcing myself to stop wiggling around and let him heal my neck.

"Fear and pain make humans taste even better." He growled evilly, and slid his tongue over my throat again. I suppose it worked out well for him, because I'm pretty freaked out now; terrified about how far he would push the 'pain' part.

He laughed quietly at my nervousness and continued closing the wound on my neck. Of course he took his time, and every second I felt more and more tired from the blood loss.

The cut (more like a slit throat at this point) finally stopped bleeding and he moved to stand, picking my sleep-deprived and rather dizzy self with him. I looked up at him, (but only because my head was propped against his arm; I was too lightheaded to willingly move) to see him slowly licking my blood off his lips.

"Where are you taking me…?" I asked, sounding like I was drugged.

"I'm taking you back to your room. It's late and you weren't asleep for very long." He began walking, refraining from melting through the floor; I suppose to keep me from getting sicker.

I closed my eyes and leaned against him. "You're just being nice so I let you bite me…"

He chuckled. "You may be right."

I glared as best I could at him; this tactic proved ineffective and I closed my eyes again. Really, this bothered me. It gave more credit to the 'Alucard only cares about my blood' theory. But, then again, why would he go through all the trouble to make me happy and not just help himself as he pleases? Maybe he just finds it amusing that I think I have control over what he does.

I was set down on my bed and Blankets were pulled over me. Wow, we were here already?

I peered hazily at the clock; 4:30 A.M. Hm, he was right; it _was_ late and I had been sleeping for less than an hour. I looked up at him, wondering if he would just leave or keep me company.

In my dazed state I was completely unable to attempt to hide my thoughts from him, so he was almost definitely reading them.

He smirked and peered down at me, a low 'hmm' noise echoing ominously off the stone walls.

"Alright then. It's early, but I suppose that's a fair trade for your blood." He purred, and laid down, wrapping one arm around my waist and pulling me closer.

It was always hard to find a sane balance of unease and happiness when I was close to him. Was this vampire trying to be kind because he liked me, or because he wanted to get lull me into a false sense of security before drinking the rest of my blood? Whenever he tasted my blood, I was always terrified he would snap and want to finish me off.

Despite my fears, I couldn't help but cuddle against his cold side. I knew he liked it, or, at least, I think he did. He made a low, content hum, and pulled me up to half-lie on his chest, which was fine with me. Alucard leaned his head back and closed his eyes, his thumb rubbing little circles on the middle of my back.

I nuzzled against the bloodthirsty monster's chest, getting comfortable in his grasp. I relaxed and let the exhaustion that accompanied blood loss overtake me, my muscles going slack.

Alucard chuckled and tightened his grip, almost as if he was hugging me. However, I don't know if Alucard ever intentionally 'hugged' anyone without weighing the pros and cons of snapping them in half.

"So fragile…" he murmured "yet, so trusting. You relax around a monster that makes you scream in fear on a regular basis, not to mention the multiple times I've tried to kill you. I can't imagine how you can even begin to consider sleeping."

"I'm probably just a tad insane." I mumbled, already half-asleep.

"Mm, that's a good point." He laughed "Of course I suppose I'm the same way; ignoring my nature and letting you continue to live."

Exhaustion kept me calm as he spoke things that would normally put me on edge. I yawned slightly and closed my eyes; my breathing and the quiet, even thud of my own heartbeat in my ears the only sounds penetrating the inky black dungeon, sounds which Alucard no doubt heard too.

He sighed contentedly and I felt him relax.

And that's how I fell asleep. Cuddled up against the ancient vampire I feared and loved.

* * *

I shifted under the pleasantly warm covers, not willing to open my eyes yet. I moved a little more, making sure nothing was trying to eat me this time.

All I felt was Alucard's arm securely around me. This didn't exactly rule out my concern. I slowly opened my eyes, preparing for something completely insane to greet me.

Luckily, there was nothing of the sort. I looked up at Alucard, to find him staring down at me, eyes glowing faintly, a slight smirk on his lips.

"Good morning." I said softly, stretching my stiff neck to the side.

"Good evening. My dear, you have no sense of time." He chuckled, and placed two fingers on the side of my neck.

Fear made my heart skip a beat when he started pressing. I was about to start struggling, when my neck cracked, the ache immediately disappearing. He laughed at my momentary terror and pulled his hand away.

I gave a half-hearted huff at the joy my terror brought him. It was too early (late?) to get up and do things, so I snuggled back against him and relaxed for a little while. Alucard didn't seem to mind, and gently ran his hand through my hair.

He continued petting me, cold fingertips grazing my neck.

Sometime later we had both gotten up and were now in the kitchen. I had a bowl of cereal and Alucard was drinking blood.

"By the way, I seem to forget the reason you mentioned why you _didn't_ want a snake. Care to remind me?" Alucard purred. Like hell he forgot. He didn't forget anything.

He was setting a trap for me. Somehow. I of course had no choice but to walk into it, I being one who wasn't that skillful in dancing around a question. "Because I didn't want to feed it mice…" I said warily.

"Oh? Why not?" he asked with a wicked grin.

"Because they're too cute and helpless. I'd drop the mouse in and immediately try to save it and get bitten by either the snake of the mouse. Or both."

"Ah, but such is nature. Mice are prey to snakes, you'd rather the snake starve?" He kept smiling in that unsettling way of his. God I hate it. Then again I love it.

"Or maybe the snake just makes friends with the mouse and creeps her out every frigging day…" I muttered. "Anyway I just can't send a little mouse to its death. I'm pretty sure I'd cry."  
"You eat meat. An animal died for that."

I sighed and pushed my cereal away. Taking about dead animals isn't exactly good breakfast discussion.

"What's with the in-depth investigation? And it's already dead, the animal didn't really suffer. Unlike snakes. And you." He ruined my breakfast; I get a shot at him.

Unfortunately his smirk didn't waver. "And what makes my feeding habits so different than yours? Other than the species, of course. My victims don't suffer for very long."

I got up and threw the soggy remainder of my cereal away and put the bowl in the sink. I turned back to him. "Because I don't generally like my food kicking and screaming, thanks."

I blinked and he was in front of me, his long coat swishing around, seeming to wrap around my legs. He grabbed my wrists and twisted them behind my back, leaning his face close to mine, grin-exposed fangs dangerously close.

"But the kicking and screaming is the best part" He purred, his cold breath on my face.

I tensed, shock-widened eyes locked into his. I tried to tear my wrists out of his grasp; it felt like pushing my arms against steel.

"Ah, yes, just like that." He chuckled "Why don't you try shrieking for help? I wonder if anyone will hear you…" He tilted his head and brushed his lips against my neck.

I whimpered and struggled more, now free from his paralyzing stare. His body shook slightly with laughter, and he pressed his lips to my neck, this time, in an actual kiss.

I flinched in shock, though it was only a quick little peck. Since the first time he kissed me, I hadn't said anything and neither had he. I was too shy about it and he, presumably, didn't think it was such a big deal.

He moved down and laid his ear over my racing heart, still holding me hostage and still chuckling quietly.

He soon released me, disappearing upon doing so. I was left alone; dazed and confused in the kitchen.

He tricked me into letting him bite me before I went to bed.

* * *

A/N: hmmm, what could Alucard _really_ want from her? Lurve or blood? GUESS, DAMN YOU! AHAHA! DANCE, PUPPETS, DANCE! (_cough cough, lolwut?)_ Sorry, I just wanted to know how it felt to say that to someone. It feels good.

That aside, forgive for the atrociously long wait. Distraction, holidays, thinking about later more emotionally-damaging-for-Pura chapters, and plain ol' laziness.

Cut to three days later. Cue small amounts silliness.

* * *

Alucard had been out on a mission all frigging night. He made me stay home for some reason, and I was bored out of my skull.

Alucard was the single most confusing person I have ever spent any amount of time with. He's been acting kindly, switching with unnatural speed to terrifying me, then leaving and essentially ignoring me. This happened often, and I have no idea what to make of it. Maybe he's just trying to screw with me; it's not like he hasn't done so before.

A tap on my shoulder made me whip around with a frightened squeak. Of course it was Alucard, looking down at me with a smirk, but something else was in his eyes.

"Why must you do these things!?" I asked, hand clutching at my heart.

"Because your reactions are so amusing." He turned and started walking down a hallway. "Come along." He called back.

I jogged to catch up with him, confused. "What? Where are we going? And why?"

He just kept walking, not saying a word, his infuriating smirk not giving any clues.

We walked for what seemed like forever, but time was slowed by my impatience.

We reached my room's closed door. Alright what the hell is going on?

"Go in." He commanded.

I complied, watching him cautiously as I opened the door and walked into the darkened room. I flicked on a lightswitch. When the light came on, my eyes were looking across my room to my dresser.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO!?" I cried out in horror.

"What?" he asked confusedly, and walked in. "Oh…" he said once he saw the blood-filled fishbowl, tiny specks of glittery scales floating around disturbingly.

I looked at him, my expression a mix of horror, disgust, and shock.

"I just got you a fish to replace your old one…"

"The-the same kind?" A betta fish?

"Yes."

Oh no… "How many did you put in there…?"

"Five."

I put my hand over my mouth. Part of me wanted to laugh; of course Alucard had no idea as to the habits of fish. It was just silly. The other part of me wanted to continue to give him shocked looks. "Alucard betta fish kill each other. A lot."

"Yes, I see that." He growled. I understood that if I laughed, my head would be divorced from its happy marriage with my neck.

Alucard picked up the fishbowl and left, muttering angrily about how he was going to maim the pet-store owner who sold him the fish without telling him they'd kill each other.

I didn't say anything about wanting a pet after that day.

* * *

A/N: For the third time, I beg for your forgiveness for the hideously long wait.

Merry Christmas, people. Or whatever you celebrate.


	53. Trigger

A/N: 800 reviews?! _I frickin' love you people!_

I got an Xbox 360 for Christmas!

Half-life two is scaring the life right the fuck out of me. Halo 3 is fun, isn't that right, Marie? 'Excuse me sir, you're sitting on my body, which is also my face'. 'NOT NOW, I'M CHECKIN' OUT THE ARBITER'S FYNE AYSS!'

Hey look…Jen's working on illustrations. Can't exactly call it 'fan-art' cause I own it: Alucard's not in these (I'm not that confident in my skill or lack thereof!). I'm gonna get to that…later. I'll also need a scanner…ehh, this may take a while. But it's ok, because now I have one of these! (_holds_ _up blending stick_) HELL YEAH!

Marie and I just may be the last people to see The Dark Knight, but it was awesome. MARIE DID YOU SEE THE VIDEO OF HIM EATING POPROCKS!?

In other news, we are completely inappropriate over Xbox live. Sadly, the other party could not hear us, and he spurned our advances. Sad face. But Left 4 Dead is fucking awesome-sauce. If any of you have a live account, tell me, and then we can meet…and you can stab me in the face during Halo 3/L4D versus for this wait!

Sorry about the wait; midterms. Also I got me a job. So that's kept me too tired to write.

Right then, I'm going to stop being lazy and write.

(_Sets chapter down and runs as if it were a lit stick of dynamite, leaving readers standing around, confused._)

B/N: Markchop?

A/N2: Yes, Marie, markchop. Thank you for markchopping this markchop, even if you did need to do that dumbass 'sleeping' thing you markchop. Loser.

* * *

I woke up, too early. I groaned in annoyance, realizing the reason for waking up at such an ungodly hour was that I had fallen on the floor. I sighed, wondering if there was a point in getting back up to my bed.

I started to push myself off the floor, when an arm darted out, wrapping around my waist and pulling me back down (nearly giving me a heart attack in the process).

"And just where do you think you're going?" Alucard's silky voice purred from the darkness in front of me as he drew me closer.

Ah…This wasn't the floor…I had been lying on Alucard, but still on my bed. When had he snuck in here? I don't remember falling asleep next to him…

"Now I'm offended; how could you mistake me for the floor?" Alucard asked, his tone slightly mocking as he held me tightly to him. He chuckled as he effortlessly subdued my attempts to escape his unbreakable grip.

I dunno…perhaps your cold, rock-hard abs? I sighed and gave up, not having the energy to fight so soon after waking up. I cuddled against him. "For the record, I thought I had fallen on top of the _blankets_ onto the floor." I said, my words muffled by his suit.

He laughed. "Your cover-up isn't at all believable, my dear."

I ignored his comment and nuzzled against his suit. "You weren't here when I fell asleep…" I mumbled.

"No. I smelled your fear. You were having a nightmare." I peeked up at him and he grinned evilly "Your nightmares are too good to resist."

I shuddered, remembering the real reason I had been startled awake. There had been ghouls attacking me, and no matter how many times I shot them or clawed at them, they wouldn't die… I involuntarily curled closer to Alucard.

"You fear the ghouls more so than the vampire, don't you…?" He asked, amused.

I didn't answer him. He was right, though. I don't know why the ghouls scared me more…they're slower, stupider, and far less of a threat than a vampire. They're easily killed, even if they had weapons.

"You forget the vampire controls them." Bastard had been reading my mind again. "You just see them as mindless, not caring, which they are, for the most part. But for some unexplainable reason, you think a vampire could be…reasoned with, I suppose. You think you could discover a way to talk to the vampire and rationalize with it, convince it not to hurt you or others. You're too much of a pacifist, little girl. And one with a wild imagination. I need to break you of this idea, you know. It's going to get you killed."

I didn't really want to know what that involved…I sighed and closed my eyes, feeling the terror from my nightmare start to leave, exhaustion replacing it. I wish he would have woken me up or ended the nightmare, but I guess he's just too goddamn sadistic to help me, huh?

He laughed quietly. "You're quite…clingy when you're dreaming, do you know that?"

That brought my awareness back. "What?"

I swear I could hear him grin. "Oh yes. The second I laid down next to you, you turned over and hugged me, letting out an absolutely pathetic whimper." He wrapped his hand around my neck. "You're lucky I let you sleep and didn't drain you instead."

I looked up blindly at him, casting a worried glance to the darkness. His chest shook lightly as he chuckled. His grip on my neck tightened slightly, and he pulled me up so that my head was on his shoulder. He stayed like that for a moment, and I had no objections to it.

Alucard grabbed my wrist, his hand easily wrapping around it, his fingers overlapping. He pulled my wrist up to his nose and inhaled slowly. I felt his frozen tongue slide over the vein, razor teeth grazing my skin.

Alucard spoke quietly, to himself, I think; I could barely hear him. "I wonder…how much would you panic if I silt your wrist and kept you from struggling? I wonder if your vein would close back up with that uncanny speed you sometimes heal with. Can you still heal in your human form?" What…healing? I tensed; would he try and test whatever this was? "Do you only heal if it's intensely life-threatening? Would you heal if I only snapped the tendon, without breaking your vein?" I felt sick at the thought of him breaking the tendon. Can someone even heal that? I thought I heard somewhere that once a tendon's broken, it's broken for good. I need to stop thinking about this; graphic mental images are making me sick.

Alucard stopped, going still.

"You don't know you can heal?" He asked, looking down at me, eyes now glowing.

"Wh-what do you mean?" I knew that when my ribs all got snapped, it healed a little faster than normal, but is that really so strange?

Alucard started laughing. "I know more about you than you do, my dear." He released my wrist and switched to wrapping his arms around my body. "I suppose it makes sense; every time it's happened you've been in such bad shape I doubt you would take notice. Pura, you're well aware that having your throat slit is normally fatal, correct?"

"Well yeah…but I thought…I got stitched up quick enough..." I trailed off. No, that still wouldn't make sense; they can't repair such important blood vessels fast enough, can they? "Maybe you missed something major…" What a stupid thought.

He chuckled. "Of course not; I severed every major blood vessel in your neck the first time. You should have been dead in less than a minute. I cut your tendons, too. And you're correct in assuming that once a tendon breaks, it's not going to heal. At least, not on its own. But you…you're a strange one. The reason you didn't die is that by the time you had stumbled out into the hallway, your neck had almost healed; muscle, tendons, and all. Granted, there were still tiny holes in your veins that kept bleeding, but they were not ripped open."

"Why, though?" So I _am_ a freak…a human wouldn't survive that; _nothing_ would survive that. So what does that mean about me?

"I'm not sure. There's a possibility getting bitten _did _have an effect on you; your healing abilities are reminiscent of those vampires possess, though you remain living." He gripped my neck again, threateningly this time "And, if you don't stop worrying about being a 'freak' or a 'monster', I am going to _show_ you what a monster is."

I whimpered and struggled; was he going to strangle me?

At the sound he laughed and released my throat. "Calm down, my dear. I'm not going to kill you...not by strangling you, anyway." Alucard leaned in, his breath at my ear "Where's the fun in that?" He whispered menacingly. "Now then, go back to sleep, you're going to need to be…_aware_ later."

I really didn't want to go through whatever I needed to be aware for. It's bound to be something absolutely horrible. Oh well. The thought of sleep was far too welcoming for me to fight it any longer, and I let myself relax again. Alucard made a soft humming noise as I felt his shadows wrap gently around me. As used to it as I was, I still had to fight the urge to try and squirm away from the cold, unsettling…things. Alucard chuckled, feeling my apprehension. The shadows began to feel comforting rather than threatening, and it wasn't long before I gave in.

* * *

Later, we were outside on the training field; not usual in itself but Alucard was definitely up to something. I hate being on the grounds at night, it's so damn creepy. The open space was free of soldiers, none were training and those patrolling knew better than to risk becoming a target for Alucard by walking in. The field was lit by a floodlight, moths batting against the hot bulb, flickering ominous shadows across the grass.

Alucard stood there, watching me with a slight smirk. I was trying not to run away, because nothing good could come of his plan… whatever it was.

"So…what are we doing?" I asked, knowing already I'd hate the answer.

He smiled. "I can think of no better time than now to uncover some of your…abilities."

"And what does that involve?"

"Hmm…Well, to my knowledge you've only 'changed' twice. We need to find out what triggers it. I know you were unconscious the first time, but do you recall any strange dreams?"

I had to suppress a shudder. "Well, no, not really…the only dreams I had were horrible…all of them, it didn't stop."

My heart skipped when I noticed Alucard considering this. He wouldn't make me go through that again…would he?

I took a step back nervously.

Alucard disappeared.

I wasted no time in bolting away from here, towards the house. It seemed like the safest place, however thin that illusion may have been. My extra speed that I had with my wings out seemed to help, that is, until the ground fell away.

My world was darkened so fast and so completely that I thought I might have gone blind somehow. But that thought was drowned out by the fact that I was falling, and I couldn't move my wings. I was calmed, however, by the realization that Alucard was making me feel this, just trying to scare me into going glowy-eyed crazy.

Well, I thought that until I landed.

I couldn't even scream when I hit the ground, on my front. It didn't matter, I guess; the sickening sound of my bones cracking drowned anything else out for me. The pain silenced anything else, too.

After a few agonizing seconds of lying there, feeling my blood begin to seep through the front of my shirt, I heard a choked squeak, and realized it was my own voice making the noise.

I choked, tasting blood, just before my eyes slipped closed.

I woke up with a gasp, sitting up to see nothingness. What the hell is going…?

Oh…no…No, please…

He was giving me new nightmares.

I scrambled to my feet, not knowing what else to do, and started running. Something slammed into the middle of my back, sending me rushing towards the ground, cracking my head of a surface that was about as hard as concrete. I pushed my self up off the ground, dazed. I tried to shake the blood from my eyes, but found that action to be unbearably painful. Before another thought could pass through my mind, however, a hellhound's teeth sunk into my midsection.

All I could see were the thing's six glowing scarlet eyes as it picked me up and shook me like a doll. I could hear a weird growling noise as I tried to pry its mouth open. And the way its eyes were kind of curved up…

It…it was laughing.

The monstrous thing bit down harder; I was sure its top and bottom teeth met. My muscles spasmed, and I finally lost consciousness again.

This time when I looked up I was already crying. It wasn't blindingly dark…I wish it was.

When I saw what was coming towards me, I felt sick.

It was Alucard himself. I honestly didn't think he would directly bring this back. Idiot.

"Alucard…no, please don't." I whimpered. He didn't hear me, or more likely just didn't care.

He walked towards me, wearing that horrible insane grin. I crawled clumsily backwards, unable to think clearly over the fear making my blood cold.

"Oh, your blood's not cold, little girl," came the low half-growled words. He grabbed my neck, clawing easily though my skin, making it too painful to struggle. He pulled me close, slowly licked my bleeding neck. "No…your blood is quite deliciously warm."

I screamed; it was all I could do.

"Quiet," He snarled, and titled my head back.

The sight of his shining fangs gave me cause to thrash. I don't care about the claws in my neck, if he bites me like that again, I won't recover. Even if I wake up, I won't survive it.

His cold fangs touched my neck, and he bit down.

I waited for the mind-searing pain, but it didn't happen.

I started to feel something different…the air wasn't freezing cold…I was curled up on the ground. No, something was holding me. My arms were wrapped tight around my chest, and I was shaking. I was sobbing, something I realized only through the sound.

"Stop crying," Said whatever was holding me. The voice was half annoyed half…worried?

I couldn't open my eyes, or even tell him I couldn't remember how to stop the pitiful sound.

"Pura?" Concern, again?

That was my name, wasn't it? "Huh?" I asked, my voice high through the crying. "Alucard?"

He sighed. "You're very stubborn, little one." He gently ran the back of his gloved hand over my cheek, drying my tears; a futile action, as another one immediately replaced it. I turned my head, hiding my face in his coat and breathing in the comforting scent. "I suppose I don't need to tell you that didn't work."

I could finally open my eyes to see where I was. I assumed we were still on the training grounds. But instead of a floodlight-lit grassy area, I saw we were in my room. I was in Alucard's lap, and he was sitting on my bed.

"It's late. You've been out for quite some time. And that's not equal to sleeping, is it?"

I shook my head. No, it was like torture. It _was_ torture.

Alucard place me on my bed. "Do you want me to stay here, or should I leave?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Stay."

He lied down without a word, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close. "I won't make you go through that again. You can sleep peacefully, don't worry." He gently pressed his lips to my forehead; I almost jumped. It was weird…this seems too…well, _nice_, for him. He put two fingers under my chin. "Cooperate." I obediently looked into his eyes, and he smirked. "Good girl." He purred as my vision blurred and went black.

* * *

A few days later Alucard decided to try again. Needless to say, I was terrified.

"Scaring you didn't work, as you've noticed." He murmured, circling me slowly like a friggin' shark. "So, I need to test your other possible trigger. I don't buy the thought that this is random."

What was this trigger then…?

"Hmm…" Alucard hummed thoughtfully, looking me over. "Ah! Alright, you stay right here." He said, smirking in a way I _really_ didn't like, before running off into the trees fringing the grounds.

While he was gone, I weighed the pros and cons of running back into the house and barricading myself somewhere.

He appeared in a few seconds, and he was carrying something small…something wiggly…

Alucard stood in front of me, holding a kicking and obviously quite terrified little rabbit.

"Alucard what the hell are you doing?" I asked, giving him a glare.

"Helping you along." He replied, looking down at the rabbit.

He tightened his hold on the creature's neck, and the poor thing screamed.

"Let it go!" I yelped, horrified.

"…No."

He slid one finger down the rabbit's back, ignoring its pleading cries; blood began dripping from it.

"Stop it!" I shrieked, angry now. I felt ice creep along my arms, completely involuntarily.

I heard cracking noises, along with Alucard's laughter and the rabbit's screams.

I growled at him. Wait, how can I growl?

Alucard twisted the rabbit's neck, and it went still.

"What the _fuck_ is wrong with you!?" I snarled, barely noticing my breath forming steam as if it were dead winter instead of late spring.

"Did I forget to mention? I found that rabbit crouching over a nest of its tiny young."

I didn't even feel myself move. But I saw the world rush by, the distance between Alucard and I disappearing a fraction of a second. A blue-tinted fraction of a second.

* * *

A/N:_ (In the distance, yelling) _Please don't shoot me for the cliffy!

Fuck I work a lot this week…my weekend is shot. Damn it all.

B/N: GAWDS, JEN! LOOK AT HOW WORRIED HE LOOKS!

A/N2: OH MY GOD I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE LOOK SO WORRIED IN MY LIFE!


	54. Musical Interlude VIII

A/N: I fucking hate my gifted teacher. He is a fucking asshole, and I should not have to take shit from him. The son of a bitch is either eavesdropping on me and twisting my words or making shit up, and that just pisses me off.

In other news, _Coraline_ is effing amazing, and you need to go see it now or I will stab you.

Anyone wanna tell me how the fuck to make Rip's gun? I kinda need it…I must bop people…BOP! Then I run away. I AM GOING TO BE THE SHORTEST RIP VAN WINKLE IN THE WHOLE FUCKING CON! HELL YES! ALSO THE CAPSLOCKBANDIT!

Right then, Musical Interlude right after Alucard asks her about her dreams.

B/N: I know, he's such a fucktart. He's so inept, and can't even mail things for me on time.

* * *

It didn't take much to knock Pura out once she realized my plan. Just one little tap, so fast she didn't even feel it, and she collapsed into my arms with that certain grace females exhibit when they fall unconscious.

I set her on the ground and began putting the nightmares in her head immediately. Picking out a handful of her fears was a simple task, and she twitched like a sleeping dog once her dreams started. Not long afterwards, she began to whimper like one, too. I knelt next to the winged girl, waiting for this strange power to show itself.

Once the first 'nightmare' ended for her, I tried to start a new one. But her mind remained blank. The young girl continued to whimper and twitch on the ground, but no images went through her head. I stood up, ready to keep her from becoming a problem if she changed now.

Nothing happened, disappointingly. I moved back down to watch her. It was an hour before I was able to give her a new nightmare; perhaps her mind needed time to rest, unbeknownst to her.

I preyed upon a different fear of hers, something more serious—the terror of my hellhound. She yelped, this time. She breathed heavily, as if she were actually exerting herself, trying to struggle out of my familiar's inescapable jaws. Out of curiosity, I felt the muscles in her arms…they were soft; sore. She _was_ exerting herself, just by dreaming.

As I twisted her dreams, I wondered just how good it would taste to _actually_ bite into the delicate little creature with my hellhound. I could see it; sneaking up on the sleeping girl (wouldn't want to wear her out with a chase before the fun started), hearing the sound of fangs ripping through her skin, seeing her eyes widen with shock, starting to scream before the pain even set in.

Responding to my own thoughts, her nightmare turned more vicious as the dream-hellhound bit down. Pura's sleeping body jerked in pain, her shirt lifting up over her pale stomach. Red marks, almost like burns, were on her skin in the pattern of the jagged fangs. I touched one of the marks; Pura immediately curled up, wrapping her arms around her midsection with a pained gasp. Those marks were going to bruise, and rather badly.

A human, with human emotions, would have been horrified and woken her up. I pitied the girl, but by no means did that imply I was going to let her off easy. I still had something else to try…

It was two hours before her mind accepted the visions I gave it.

Pura took a single, shaky breath before starting to cry. The sound surprised me; I hadn't expected her to be so affected by these dreams.

Now…she was bleeding? Something had gone wrong. I brushed her hair away from her neck; five shallow cuts had marked her throat. Shallow, but a shallow slit throat is still fatal to a human. She's proven far more resistant to her veins being sliced than a human, but…making her go through this, hurting her for nothing…

Letting her keep dreaming would proved problematic for both of us. She'd resort to avoiding me again or simply having a break down, and I'd have to kill her to get her blood. I had to wake her up.

I picked the little girl up, feeling her cringe when I touched her. I immediately started mentally trying to wake her up and walked back to the house while I was at it. I moved through the shadows, knowing she hated for anyone to see her cry.

I reached her room, not bothering to turn on the lights. Her nightmare had stopped but she refused to wake up. I sat on her bed and held the shaking girl.

Why did I want these pathetic sobs to stop? A weeping human is normally something I love to see; such laughably weak creatures…the noise usually made me hungry; if a human is crying near me then I'm about to have lunch. But this sound made me neither amused nor hungry. I just wanted her to stop crying.

I shook her slightly. "Wake up." I ordered.

She just continued to tremble with sobs.

I sighed, her failure to listen irritating me slightly. I closed my eyes and concentrated on her heartbeat. Fast, panicked. I put my ear to her chest, her racing heartbeat filling my head, the scent of her fear and blood intense on her skin. Perfect.

I inhaled at her throat, wondering if a bite would affect her much. I took my time closing up the slight wounds on her neck, knowing she'd be upset to wake up and find cuts there. But really, I just needed a taste of her to keep me from biting her myself.

While I was at it, I licked up her tears. Whatever reason that made me want her crying to stop didn't change the sweet taste of human anguish.

I sat there, holding the now silently crying girl, for two more hours. My patience had been worn endless by time, but I was beginning to get…anxious. Was she going to wake up? Or would she fall into a coma like the last time she had such vivid nightmares?

She finally seemed to wake up slightly. Pura made a quiet moan and curled up tighter. She sobbed quietly, and her mind slipped back into consciousness, unaware of the passage of time. I noticed she didn't have a grasp on what was going on; she didn't even know who she was right now. It seems my little one can go through quite a bit, but if it's brought back she can't cope too well.

"Stop crying." I commanded. Was I…worrying about her? No…she's a toy. In the end, that's all she is.

I kept a watch on her mind. She couldn't stop crying? And she didn't even know who I was…

"Pura?" I asked. Had I broken her this time? Did I pass the threshold of what she could take?

"Huh?" her half-whimpered reply brought her mind back. "Alucard?" She so often says my name with no hint fear or disgust. It's…strange to hear.

I wasn't surprised when she asked me to stay. I knew why. She didn't forgive me for torturing her—not even close. But she wanted to know that she could spend the night with me safely. How many times must I ravage her before she finally learns not to trust monsters?

Moments after she was unconscious, Pura nuzzled against me. Soon, however, she mumbled in annoyance and started pawing at her back. She was trying to undo the buttons on the back of her shirt, wanting to hide her wings. I suppose it bothers her to sleep with them out. I undid the buttons, and she wriggled out of her shirt, wings disappearing. She murmured happily, settling back in to her former 'cuddled up to me' position. But now, without that thin layer of cloth on her body, she was so much warmer.

Always such an odd feeling…It's been a long time since I've been this close to any other human without having full intention of draining it. I closed my eyes, tracing the image on the girl's back, knowing the design perfectly without having to look. She shifted around; I opened one eye and peered at her—had she woken up without my notice?

She let out a short, sleep-hazed laugh.

I couldn't help but chuckle too. Despite the viciousness I was trying to instill in her, she was…ticklish. I sighed. Making this creature dangerous may be more challenging than I had thought.

No matter. She'd learn soon enough.

I pulled a blanket over the sleeping creature, hearing her breathing and heartbeat slow as she slipped into a deeper state of sleep, oblivious to time and impossible to awaken. I soon fell asleep too; watching her dreams.

* * *

I circled the girl, purposely making her uneasy. It was working well; I could smell her fear, a scent never failing to make my mouth water, my teeth growing sharp in subconscious anticipation of a meal.

Right now though, it was Pura who needed to kill. She had changed twice already. Once when she was having nightmares and once when she was angry with me. Nightmares failed to elicit a response. So, I had to make her speechless with rage. But how to do that in such a short span of time…

A thought came to me. I instructed her to stay there, knowing she knew better than to ignore my orders. I went to the woods, listening. I head the rustle of small animals cowering into their hiding places, knowing instinctively that a predator was on the hunt. I searched for something helpless…something pitiful, just like her.

Knowing Pura loved anything with a sad look in its eyes wasn't hard to notice. Finding out she'd defend it at the cost of personal injury was infinitely useful right now.

Ah, that was it…I smelled something in absolute terror; several fearful little creatures in one spot. Rabbits. Defenseless, harmless, and a creature Pura would shudder to hurt.

I found its simple mind, and mentally paralyzed it. No need to waste time and exhausting it with a struggle before I could even get it to Pura. Picking the motionless but living rabbit up, I saw the nest it had been protecting. Even better. Letting her know about this would surely bring something out.

I brought the animal back to Pura, noting the anger flickering almost immediately in her eyes. The fear of me disappeared from her surprisingly quickly; she didn't even think twice about yelling at me, her tone shocked, underlying anger coloring her tone. Torturing the animal was nothing to me. Rabbits have always been a prey, this one was just unfortunate enough to get my attention.

The ice that moved along her arms was different; sharper, more deadly. It grew along her shoulder, covering her shoulder blades in needle-like frost. Her hands curled, forming vicious claws. Slowly, her eyes began to get brighter. She spoke and I saw her teeth; noticeably sharp. A growl. Yes…

I was right. Telling her about the animal's young set her off.

Pura leapt at me, eyes glowing, snarling fiercely. The small girl slammed into me, forcing me to step back and slow her momentum to prevent her from breaking her own spine on the impact. Ice, oddly growing through her socks without damaging the cloth, hooked into my flesh to let her stand eye-level with me, one foot on my chest and one on my leg. Meanwhile, she was trying hard to tear my face apart. I grinned as she ripped away at my skin, her icy claws gouging deep into the bone. Perfect.

I grabbed her shirt; one-sided attacking wasn't enough. She needed to know how to _fight._ Pura noticed, and kicked off my chest, using her wings to tear herself free and fly back a few yards. She landed effortlessly, her motor skills improved with her attacks.

She fell into a crouch, watching me closely. I looked into her mind, wondering how much control she really had.

Her thoughts were, predictably, somewhat scattered. For the most part, animalistic viciousness was the force that drove her actions. But…underneath that, her normally functioning thoughts spoke out quietly, trying to calculate my movements, rightfully treating me as a serious threat. I had no plans to critically injure her, but she could end up with a few broken bones if she underestimated me.

Faster than any human could see, her hand flicked out. Frozen daggers embedded themselves into my torso, making holes like bullets, just as painlessly. Again she threw the ice, fast enough that a fledgling vampire would miss the motion. I could hear the sound of her muscles moving, far too quickly for her; the sound of something in her arm tearing was easy to pick up. Pura's _able_ to do this, but it's certainly taking a toll on her, unprepared as she is.

She didn't seem to notice her pulled muscles, and went on attacking. I wouldn't let her have all the fun.

I pounced on her, throwing the girl easily to the ground. I held her down, keeping her wrists locked to the ground and her legs immobilized with my shadows. I leaned down, grinning, showing my fangs. Her expression changed from rage to shock, and I hoped she wouldn't go back to her normal form. I moved down, inhaling at her throat, memorizing the new scent of her blood. Not much difference from her usual maddening smell, but there was a certain undertone of something; some hormone that had set this off, and added to the appeal of her blood.

Pura struggled in my grip; I've always loved the feel of that. I licked her neck, pulse racing and skin warm. Her amazing taste made me fight not to tear into her throat. Her body twitched towards me, and I thought she may be changing back from fear.

She was doing nothing of the sort.

Spikes shot from her throat, in a deadly parody of a dog-collar. I held back a laugh as they speared my tongue, gouging holes across my face. I let her go; I was training her to fight normal vampires, not me, and an attack like that would certainly cause her to be released. The ice she made…it mimicked blessed silver in a slight way, if it pierced the skin. The cut was painful to an ordinary vampire, and slow-healing. I assumed this to be a natural defense, counteracting the near-irresistible lure of her blood.

Pura wasted no time getting to her feet and putting distance between us, moving with her newfound speed. She was starting to seem tired; breathing a little heavier, keeping up less of that armor-like ice. I took a step towards her, and she retreated a step. I smiled, sensing her unease as I did so. I slowly approached her, not speaking to keep from snapping her out of the state she's in.

Ice crunched under my boot after a few more steps. I looked down to see tiny shards of ice littering the ground. I glanced back up at Pura and raised an eyebrow. She was kneeling in the icy grass, looking at the sparkling ice. Her glowing eyes, such a contrast to mine, rose to glare at me.

Her hands slammed on the ground, and a shrapnel grenade seemed to go off under my feet.

Razor bullets of ice tore me apart, still unsurprisingly painless. She even managed to sever my head with a larger blade of ice from the little trap she set. Once the attack ended, I began regenerating, expecting to see Pura changed back and on the verge of tears.

Instead I found her small unmoving form crumpled on the ground. I was at her side instantly, knowing she was alive but unsure whether she had hurt herself. Any trace of ice was now gone from her arms, and her closed eyes showed no sign of that glow; she was back to normal.

I was about to pick her up and take her inside when she stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She looked around, disoriented, before noticing me kneeling by her. She stared at me for a few seconds, obviously confused. She gasped quietly, holding her breath; realization dawning on her. She glared, and opened her mouth to say something. She closed her mouth quickly, biting her tongue and looking away. She got up and walked past me. A glance into her mind revealed that she was trying very hard not to turn around and snarl every curse she knew at me. That, and she was exhausted and quite dizzy.

Pura stormed off, not towards the house, but into the woods. I followed at a distance, making sure she didn't pass out again. She searched through the forest floor; I knew what she was looking for. I wonder if she would accept my help…

She turned, hating to ask me. "Well where the _fuck_ are they!?"

I walked, and she followed, jaw clenched angrily. I soon stopped, gesturing to a well-camouflaged den in the ground. She kneeled down to it, her back deliberately turned to me. The creature who just tore me apart reached into the rabbit den and pulled the tiny animals out, her movements incredibly gentle. She made a little pouch out of the end of her shirt and placed the young rabbits inside, holding them close to keep them warm. I noticed how her wings were instinctively placed slightly in front of the creatures—protecting them. From me.

Pura hurried back into the house, still refusing to even look at me. She rushed to her room, trying not to jostle the rabbits. Pura rummaged around and finally found a small cardboard box, into which she packed a blanket. She nestled the animals into the box. Through all this I watched her from the doorway, not speaking.

She walked past me, making her way back upstairs with the box. Pura peeked into several rooms until finding one with a lit fireplace. The girl curled up on the floor, the box nearer to the fire. She hugged it and pressed her chest to the side; trying to mimic the heartbeat of the rabbits' mother.

I watched her. Listening to her thoughts; listening to her wonder what she was going to do. The firelight played off her skin nicely, illuminating her troubled expression with twisting lights. I had the urge to stalk silently over and lie down behind her, wrapping my arm around her waist and holding her to me. Perhaps I could get a bite out of it… The fire was certainly warming her blood, the room filling with the intoxicating scent.

I turned and left her, already knowing the result of this what was going to be. I heard the quiet sniffling but didn't turn back to comfort her.

I walked through the silent halls to the dungeons, leaving Pura to cry alone. It was starting to rain…

* * *

Hours later I passed by a window to see Pura, out in the rain, kneeling in the grass in her pajamas. The cardboard box sat beside her. I walked outside through the wall and approached her noiselessly. Even in the rain, I could tell she was crying.

I stood next to her and looked down at the little mound of dirt, a small stone at the top.

The rabbits, sick to begin with, had died shortly after she found them.

She spoke without looking up, trying to mask the pain in her voice. "So I go fucking berserk and start trying to kill you. What would have happened if a soldier walked in? Would I have killed him too?"

"I wouldn't have let you."

"But I would have _tried_…"

I didn't reply. Yes, she probably would have gone after someone else.

"I can't save anything…I'm designed to be some kind of horrible killer," She looked up at me, her eyes sad. "Alucard…I don't want this…I don't want to be like this."

I sighed, sitting down next to her. She looked back at the ground, trying to hide her tears. I had expected her to try to refuse what she was; it was normal. "Pura, this is the reason why I'm helping you. So you can control yourself. And you know the rabbits were sick. If you hadn't taken them in, they would have either died cold in the forest, or gotten eaten by the mother or a stray cat. You _helped_ them," It was true, and this girl needed to get inside and sleep.

She sighed; a defeated, pathetic sound. "I'm tired…"

I knew she meant more than just wanting to sleep. I gently gathered her up in my arms, feeling the soaking wet girl shiver. Pura turned to hide her face in my coat, but refused to cry. I teleported inside, getting out of the rain as quickly as possible. She didn't even see to notice. Sleeping already…

As I set her down on her bed, I felt a slight tug on my neck. Her fingers were curled around the loop on my tie. I placed my hand on her much smaller one, about to pull her off, when I noticed her eyes were open. I smirked and lay next to her, covering the girl with my coat. She curled up, looking comfortable. I laughed quietly and pulled her close, sniffing her damp hair. I felt her drowsy unease at my action, her muscles tensing ever so slightly.

"I'm curious, Pura—do you remember changing?"

"Um…Sort of. I can remember a bit, but it feels like a dream…"

I looked into her mind; she saw sort flashes of images, and brief spots where she had been in control of the ice, but not much else. This was promising—she'd be able to fully control herself, with a little practice.

As I was searching her mind, she fell asleep. I chuckled, and phased my arms through the bed away from her, making sure I didn't wake the girl. I watched her sleep for a few moments, then, almost unconsciously, leaned down and kissed the top of her head. I stood up, wondering why I cared about her like this. Perhaps living with humans for the past century was starting to rub off on me. No matter. I'd slaughter the girl in a second, if she crossed me enough.

For now, though, she was mine; and I wanted her alive.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the wait. I got homework and a job, Goddamn it!

We saw _Watchmen_. The movie could be greatly improved with more appearances of Dr. Manhattan's pants. But overall, it was pretty good.

Umm…Dead Space is freaking me right the fuck out. I hate being startled…why did I buy this game!?

Grah, daylight savings time is fucking with my head already.

Also, to anyone who feels like whining that the bunnies died: "Hi. I'm Jen. I like Hellsing, an incredibly violent and amazing manga and anime. I wrote a fanfic in which I beat my main character within inches of her life often. I even skinned her, then further traumatized her. It's nice to meet you."

B/N: THEY'VE GONE BATTY!

RORSCHACH, WILL YOU TURN DOWN THAT GODDAMN RADIO?!

SPOILER ALERT: ALEX HALEY HAS ANCESTORS

Are you playing castanets?

These are my grabbers.


	55. Listening Skills

A/N: After avoiding serious danger with report cards, I'm free to access the laptop again!

Right then. Get to writing. I know, I'm a lazy bitch. Blame my manager and teachers. I like sleep, damn it! And lately that stuff has become a rather rare commodity.

Moving on; Modest Mouse and Franz Ferdinand have joined my CDs; wave 'hi' to the readers, awesome albums (_albums flip Jen off_).

Wanna know an underlying cause for the slow writing? It's because I have _so much goddamn fluff_ in my head and nowhere to put it. It sucks. Branching off storylines, alternate events, all kinds a' stuff. But I know if I so much as try with that someone will come in bitching…sad face.

'The Hills Have Eyes 2'. Errgghhh (_Disgusted face_) Also stupid people is stupid.

'Carrie'…I've never seen this whole movie…there's an actual scary movie on for once! ABUHWAIT! This is the new version, Jen found out after she watched the entire movie to be disappointed by the ending. To youtube, then! I need to fix the problem in my brain.

As always, I love you reviewers. You. Win. (A request, and in a friendly tone: I can has a way to reply? I wanna thank all of you anons, but I can't, I have no return addresses! Sadface! I want to be nice…)

B/N: The beginning of this author's note is ancient, and it shows that you spent an entire goddamn marking period writing this chapter. You suck.

I'm betaing this before school, because, as Jen knows, our ride thinks that school starts at noon or something, and rolls casually into the driveway at about 7:40 (we have to be there at 7:45).

She always has shit all over the back of her car, which makes me laugh, because it's different every single day.

* * *

I woke up to find that I wished I was still asleep. _Damn_ I was sore. It felt like every muscle in my body had been pulled. I can barely even remember what happened last night; did Alucard decide to jump on me or something? I wouldn't put it past him…

I groaned and rolled on my side, hoping to slip back into sleep where I didn't feel like my muscles were on fire, when a far more intense pain shocked through my lower arm. I yelped, flipping over to my other side and grabbing my arm. I lied there, curled up in pain for a few moments. What the hell was this? Well it sure woke me up…

I looked at my arm, wondering if I had been burned or cut, but saw nothing- probably because there were no lights on, so I felt my arm instead, but there was still no injury. I flexed my fingers, feeling a slight pain upon doing so. Goddamn it I tore a ligament or something, didn't I? I hoped not; something like that warranted a trip to the medical ward, and that brought…well, just bad things in general. I didn't want Alucard to find out that I was hurt in any way. I'd do well to keep my weaknesses from him, the manipulating bastard.

I sighed angrily and burrowed my face into the still-warm pillow. I felt the ache in the rest of my battered muscles return slowly, making me groan miserably, knowing I'd feel like this for days.

This relative peace was sure to end soon, though. Any second now, Alucard would come slinking in here without a sound and make a very persuasive effort to drain my blood. All the while I'd have to pretend my arm was fine. Damn.

As if on cue, gloved fingertips traced up my back, so lightly I'd think I imagined it if I didn't know better, and rested on my shoulder.

I began to shake my shoulders to get his hand off, but found that too painful, and settled for a muffled growl of "Go away…"

Low chuckling indicated he was not at all threatened by my sleepy anger. "What's the matter, my dear? Not feeling well?" I felt him sit on the bed.

"Shut up…" I groaned, turning away from him, eyes closed and my hair on my face.

"No need to be angry; I'll…fix it." He purred, far closer than he had been; near enough for his cold breath to chill my neck and make me shiver.

He gently placed his free hand on my other shoulder, his thumbs on the base of my neck. He started pressing on my neck, moving his thumbs in circles.

I tried to squirm away; I was already sore, and that hurt. Alucard held me back, of course, almost certainly smirking at my struggles.

My attempted escape was stopped suddenly, however, when he hit something. Some pressure point on my neck that just…well felt good. He laughed quietly as I relaxed in his hands. I always hated giving in to him like this, pointless as it was to resist; it just made me feel…weak. I hoped he wasn't reading my mind, he would be sure to have some sarcastic response.

"Hmm…" he hummed, moving down my back, his cool hands massaging between my shoulder blades.

"Ah…" The half-whimpered sound felt involuntary as my ache melted away under his fingertips. He was controlling me…

Alucard chuckled. "I'm not controlling you." He purred, his voice in my ear again. "I don't have to, little one. You should learn to stop mistaking natural human reactions with my control of your will. And if I were controlling you, you would have no idea."

He continued working the ache out of my muscles, moving with practiced expertise. I opened my eyes when the pain in my back was gone; remembering then that it was pitch-black in my room.

"Ah yes, you're quite blind, aren't you my dear?" His breath was suddenly on the back of my neck, nuzzling his face into my hair.

Despite the unsettling feeling his statement brought, I couldn't help but make a quiet, happy humming noise. He laughed, presumably at my conflicting emotions, and lied down next to me, done with his ministrations. He pulled me close, his arm around my waist. I mentally celebrated that he didn't yank on my arm to pull me over.

"What time is it?" I asked sleepily.

"About five minutes to seven. I was just going to sleep, but this seemed like a much better option." I nuzzled against his shoulder as he spoke, his closeness comforting despite all the shit he put me through.

Then I screwed up. I reached my arm over; I don't even know why I did it- probably just to paw at his tie- and cringed at the pain of moving it. He noticed my pain, and instantly tightened his grip on me, his shadows wrapping around me; ensuring I wouldn't try to get away. Not that I wouldn't, given the chance.

"What happened?" I could tell by the sound that Alucard lifted his head quickly to look down at me.

"Nothing." I hissed though gritted teeth, tears stinging my eyes.

He laughed. "I'm starting to think you're a compulsive liar, my dear. I can easily _make_ you tell me."

I knew he could, but I kept my mouth shut. If I could keep from voluntarily giving in to at least one thing today, it'd be great.

He sighed, and I suddenly found that his hand was wrapped around my arm, a little below my wrist. He squeezed my arm…which immediately caused me to jerk like I had just been electrocuted, a short yelp bursting from me.

"Yes, nothing's wrong at all, is it?"

"Shut up." I snarled.

"I'm taking you to the medical ward. Your arm is fractured." Alucard spoke as if I hadn't interrupted him—he also didn't seem to find that an unexplainable breakage of my bones was odd.

"Why in the hell is my arm fractured!? And why wouldn't I notice it earlier?!"

"Hmm…It could have happened when you were clawing at me. Or possibly when you were throwing the ice; when it was sliding off your arm, the ice could have bent it and broken the bone. As for taking so long to realize it, that's just shock. But no matter; you're going to get a splint on that before the break gets worse." He stood up, taking me with him.

"Put me down, damn it!" I yelled, struggling as he walked into the dimly lit hallway.

"We both know the second I would release you, you'd start running. Though a chase does sound like fun…" He looked down at me wickedly, upon which I decided that being let go wasn't work the terrifying and perhaps injurious 'chase' Alucard had in mind. I stopped trying to fight him, and received a low chuckle.

We eventually reached the med ward, and I cringed slightly. This place had been burned into my mind as somewhere I could expect to be hurt more than I already was. Alucard was probably snooping around in my thoughts again, and curled his arms around me protectively. Reassuring, yes; but I couldn't stop the nagging, schizophrenia-reminiscent voice in my head from announcing that he had made my life hell using the med ward as a starting place, too. That voice is such a fucking bastard.

Alucard found a sleepy-looking doctor wandering around. Alucard's threatening tone, however, made the sleep-addled doctor change into a wide-awake one very quickly.

Not too long after that, I was sitting on that annoyingly crinkly paper that was wrapped around a little table in an office while the guy in scrubs scrolled around on a computer. Alucard leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. I could imagine what he was thinking- probably wondering why the doctor was doing nothing when he could be putting my arm in a splint. And really, I was wondering the same thing. I want to sleep, dammit.

Finally the doctor spun around on his chair. "What's the matter, Pura?" He said, not masking the nervousness in his voice brought by the looming vampire in the corner very well.

"I broke my damn arm. I'm not really sure why." I was tired and unsettled. I tend to be snappy when I'm like that.

"Alright let's see." He moved forward. "Does this hurt?" He grabbed my arm gently.

"Yes it fucking does!" I half-snarled, half-yelped.

With an annoyed growl from Alucard, I was quickly taken to get an x-ray, and sure enough, a little crack was running down the bone.

"It looks like you've managed to get a hairline fracture in your ulna, Pura." the doctor said like it was my fault.

What ended up happening was that I got a simple splint on my arm. My bone was showing the slight signs of healing already, so it was doubted I'd have to get a full cast. I did have to wear a sling, though…

I was finally able to go back to bed, after being given a multitude of anti-inflammatory rainbow-colored pills, maybe one of which I would probably remember to take. I collapsed onto my bed (carefully) and shot the vampire who followed me back a dirty look. This was his fault. And he had his own coffin to sleep in.

He laughed infuriatingly at my 'not-as-threatening-as-I-thought' glare and stepped forward to ruffle my hair and pull the blankets up. "Sleep well, little one…You're going to need it soon." He purred, grinning fangs close to my face.

I stared at him, nervous, trying to decode his cryptic words. Staring wide-eyed was a bad plan.

He immediately had control over me, and I was unconscious before I could realize his eyes had been glowing.

* * *

It only took two weeks for my arm to heal, it being a small break and I having freaky healing abilities, evidently.

Only two days after the splint came off, Alucard snuck up on me, wrapping his arms around me from behind and lifting me up against his chest. He ignored my surprised and disapproving yelp, his silky voice in my ear. "Get ready, there's a mission. I already have your gun, so don't waste time looking around for it." He disappeared abruptly, letting me fall on the floor.

"Bastard." I hissed under my breath.

Despite Alucard being irritating, I got ready anyway. I would prefer going almost anywhere to a mission, but things had been kinda boring lately...

Knowing Alucard, the creeper that he is, he was probably monitoring me, because as soon as I was ready he appeared out of frigging nowhere and picked me up.

"Let's go, shall we, my dear?" he murmured, chuckling at my shock. He quickly flipped me onto his back and took off to God knows where.

I fidgeted against his shadows. "Um, Alucard? What's with the rushing?" I asked, trying my best to lean over his shoulder to talk to him.

All I got as an answer was a short laugh. Damn it, Alucard.

After a while he finally stopped and let me down; another mission in the spooky woods, I see. Great. Oh wait, there's an ominous warehouse-like building over there; that makes things way better.

I looked up at the vampire who brought me here. He made no move to hand me a gun; rather he just stood there and smirked at me. That is not, never has been, and never will be a good sign.

"You…didn't bring my gun, did you?" I dreaded the answer…

"I did not."

"Whhhhy?" I asked in a pathetic, hopeless tone.

He laughed. "Since I seem to have _forgotten _your gun, you're going to have to take care of the ghouls a little more personally."

"You expect me to go all crazy again?" Like hell I was.

"No, but you could use a lesson in more control in close-combat. You, my dear, are far too jumpy when fighting normally. Now come on, you're going to rid this place of ghouls." He started walking away; he might as well have dragged me along, considering my stance on being left alone around here.

I put up sharp icy claws on my hands and most of my arms, the utter stillness of the forest putting me on edge. As far as I could tell, I was the only one making sound; Alucard defied logic as his footsteps refused to snap fallen branches or crackle leaves, and there were no auditory hints on the ghouls' or vampire's hiding spot. I stayed close to Alucard, nervous, knowing even my heartbeat was being broadcasted through the trees.

After what seemed like an eternity of wandering through the forest, we finally found a ghoul. A ghoul I very nearly tripped over, much to Alucard's sick, twisted amusement. I yelped, the creature seeming just as surprised as I was, only more evil. I clawed most of its head off, putting up as much ice between the ghoul and my actual skin as I could.

I looked back at Alucard, unsurprised to see that he hadn't moved. I gasped, about to warn him of the ghoul behind him, when he put his gun over his shoulder and shot it, killing it immediately without even looking. I have to admit, it was pretty damn cool...

Alucard followed me as I wandered around, looking for ghouls as he instructed. He watched silently as I killed the things, a sign which I hoped stood for approval. I didn't dwell on it too much; my mind was too preoccupied trying to ignore how horribly…_squishy_ the ghouls were.

After about five ghouls were dead, none seemed to show up. "Is that all of them…?" I asked tentatively.

Alucard lifted his head, inhaling. "No…there are more, they're just hiding, for some reason. Oh, and Pura?" He murmured, looking down at me again.

"Yeah?"

"Come here" He purred, pulling me towards him with lightening speed. I felt something speed by me, just barely missing my wings. I looked towards whatever just tried to murder me, finding it to be the vampire. Not really that shocking, actually.

He looked at the two of us warily, Alucard staring calmly yet rather smugly at the vampire, and I held tight to Alucard's chest, my toes just barely touching the ground.

The vampire, after looking Alucard over, relaxed from his crouched position, straightening out.

"Ah, I thought you might'a been somethin' else. You mind splitting the girl with me?" He asked, as cheerily as I've ever heard a vampire be.

"Not at all." Alucard replied, in a conversational tone. I looked up at him. He was joking, right…? I squirmed in his grip. He let me go with a soft chuckle. "You can have her first." The vampire started towards me and I stared up at Alucard, somewhat in shock. _'Kill him.'_ His voice echoed in my mind.

I grew claws as the vampire advanced, oblivious. He became quite aware of the exact situation, however, when I tore his chest open.

"Wh-what the fuck?!" He sputtered, stumbling backwards. Alucard laughed behind me.

I wasted no time leaping on him and proceeding to pierce his heart, wanting to get this over with quickly.

The vampire dead, I stood up and turned to find Alucard had disappeared again. I looked around, beginning to panic, when his arms wrapped around me from behind. The tall vampire chuckled as he drew me close and rested his chin on my shoulder, nuzzling against my neck.

"You really believed me, didn't you?" He laughed. "My dear, you honestly think I'd _share_ _you_ with anyone?" Alucard dragged his tongue up the side of my neck, licking the other vampire's blood off me. I tilted my head back, exposing more of my neck to him. I saw him grin out of the corner of my eye, and he continued cleaning the blood off my skin.

My eyes half-closed and my mind hazed over, I didn't even realize what I was seeing shouldn't exist. It took me a few seconds of impassive staring before it sunk in, snapping me quickly back to reality.

"Alucard?" I asked, not moving, still staring upside-down at the impossible thing.

"Hmm?" he murmured, his fangs beginning to graze my skin.

"Shouldn't ghouls…die when the vampire is killed?" Because this one wasn't dead. It was standing there, mindlessly batting at leaves. Alucard stopped paying attention to my neck and moved away, looking at the ghoul.

"Yes, they should." He released me, pulling out his gun. "Unless, of course, they don't belong to the vampire killed." Alucard closed his eyes, leaning his head up. Finding the vampire by smell…

His eyes opened. An unsettling smirk came over his face, and he glanced down at me. "Pura…" he began silkily "I'll take care of the vampire. Just take out that ghoul, and then leave. There will be Hellsing troops outside; you can get a ride home with them. I'll return a little later…" And with that, he walked away.

I was confused. And curious. Maybe he was just feeling vicious and wanted to kill something; that definitely sounded like him. And…my mind is just _filled_ with idiotic ideas because I wanted to see him fight, and not against me for once.

I killed the ghoul, trying to silence the death-insuring urge to go after him. I forced myself to turn in the direction of the path to leave. I even hid my wings, in case there were regular police about. The troops though…bunch of jerks… And getting a ride in the back of a car full of sweaty guys didn't sound like a good time at all…

I sighed, hating myself quite a bit right now, and spun around and began walking in the same direction Alucard had gone. I moved as quietly as I could, hoping my heartbeat would blend in with those of whatever other creatures inhabited the woods.

I had thought it would have been harder to find Alucard, but soon after beginning my (self-destructive) search, a flash of dark red cloth through the trees caught my eye. It was odd though; he wasn't attacking any vampire…he was just standing there. I peeked through the underbrush to get a better look at red-clad vampire about twenty feet away.

…Jesus.

I saw why he wasn't fighting the vampire. He already _had_ the vampire: his fangs were sunk deep into her neck.

The vampire's head was twisted back, trying to get away from him. Blood and tears ran down her face as she twitched in pain, unable to make her shredded vocal chords scream.

Alucard, however, was calm; his eyes were closed with almost serene expression on his face. It was horrifying.

I was frozen, unable to move or scream or even just whimper. I stood there and watched Alucard slowly drain his victim and enjoy it.

It had been only a few minutes, but it felt eternal, when he opened his eyes. The vampire who looked to be in her early twenties had stopped twitching, and his gaze slowly lifted to pierce me, his teeth still clamped on her throat.

My blood froze, and I couldn't breathe. His terrifying glare told me I was seriously fucked.

Something in me clicked, and I took off, finally able to move. It wasn't long though, before something wrapped around my leg, throwing to the ground. I didn't trip over a stick or a root; something grabbed my ankle, and I had a pretty good idea of who it was.

The dark, growling chuckle confirmed my suspicions. I turned, seeing Alucard slowly advancing. His eyes…that look…I had seen it before…where, though?

"Ah, unlucky little girl…" He purred. "Such a shame for you to meet me." It dawned on me that he thought I was just a girl who stumbled on into this. He reached for my neck, when I realized where I had seen that grinning, evil expression. It had been more than a year since then, but it's amazing how quickly things come back to terrify you beyond reasonable thought.

The library at the estate. The way he looked at me now was the same way he looked at me then; so far from sane, eyes glowing bright with bloodlust, wanting more than anything to tear into my throat.

I pulled viciously at the shadowy grip on my ankle, my eyes unable to leave Alucard's deadly form.

"Alucard please—" I begged desperately as I clawed at the hold on my ankle "Alucard I'm sorry just don't-" He grabbed my throat, not even hearing me.

He lifted me, struggling and choking, into the air.

"It won't take as long if you relax, girl…by all means, keep fighting." He growled evilly, tightening his grip as I tried to pry his fingers away from my neck.

I started to black out, and felt myself go limp, my frantic clawing slowing, my hands slipping away from his arm. I was almost unconscious when he stopped. God, had he finally realized it was me he was trying to kill?

I almost laughed. Until I understood what he was actually doing.

He had moved his hand to the back of my neck. I opened my eyes, still hazy, and saw the exact image that's haunted my nightmares.

"ALUCA-"

His fangs, numerous and every one deadly, punched through my throat easily, cutting off my scream in a wave of pain.

"Hm?" He questioned, his voice muffled but still sounding surprised.

Alucard opened his mouth fast, nearly _tearing_ his fangs out, the feeling almost as excruciating as the bite itself. "Pura!" He snarled, throwing me to the ground.

I grabbed my neck, hot blood flowing through my fingers. My breath hitched as I watched my own blood pour out of my neck and onto the dirt.

Alucard stood over me, blood dripping down his chin. "Goddamn it Pura! What the _hell_ do you think you're doing!?" Alucard yelled at me, furious, while I writhed on the ground, barely hearing what he was saying.

Wait…I looked up at him, tears in my eyes; he was yelling at me? As I bled to death? I wanted so badly to hate him, to tell him to fuck off, but all I could do was stare at him, helpless and terrified. I took one hand off my throat and looked at it; so much blood…my hand shook violently, and it wasn't all from fear.

Alucard, who must have realized I wasn't paying attention to him, suddenly had hold of the blood-soaked collar of my shirt, lifting me up close to his face, making my vision blur. "Do you ever stop to listen, girl!? Are you daft!?" He shouted, enraged. "Did you stop to think that I tell you not to do something because _I don't want you to do it_!?"

"A-Alucard…" I whispered painfully as it got harder to breathe. I tried to put my hand out to show him I was bleeding, but only managed to graze the front of his suit before I couldn't hold my arm up anymore. God why was it so cold…? Why is it so dark…?

* * *

A/N: There. It's longish. More than 4,000 words.

Ah Bioshock; how I love thee. SUCH a great gaaame.

Again, sorry for taking so long. Life gets in the way of things, ya know?

Some bastard in one of the other ceramics classes stole my Goddamn project! What the hell is wrong with people!? I worked on that for more than a month, and some douchebag decides it's his now!? Especially someone in ceramics who knows how much work goes into this shit! I swear to God if I find this bastard I'll curbstomp him or something! _(/rant)_

Hee, I got my new fangs today. They're little, so they don't jut out of my face like the others. Hopefully this'll knock my procrastination off and get me started on assembling the rest of my cosplay, which I fully intend to document over dA.

Gonna be out of internets the weekend this is out. Leave me an inbox bursting with reviews for when I get back?

B/N: I changed the time Jen, I hope you enjoy it.

A/N2: I have no idea what you mean by that, so I cannot enjoy/ hate you for it.


	56. Guard Duty

A/N: Summer! Summersummersummersummersummeraionfgadighr!

Enough of that. I'm off school and it's two in the morning. Hurrah!

Hee…Otakon shopping. Me, Marie, and Jimmie are going to look for our outfits. I'm on the verge of making a gun, and my registration has been okayed by the official Otakon people of officialality.

I got me a corset-type top. From the new secret underground unsigned indie alt store called Hot Topic _/inside joke no one but Marie understands._

Well I beat Bioshock. You, and you. Go play that beautiful game. The rest of you can watch.

Now then. Prototype is great. 'Did that man just vomit blood because you destroyed the playground!?' Also Alex is copying Alucard. Shameful.

And then we-HOLY FUCKING EFFING AEGIARSBGKADJKLFGBAHH! CRISPIN THE FUCK FREEMAN IS GONNA BE AT OTAKON! I THINK THIS GETS A 'WIN' OUT OF TEN.

Yeah, another late one. I'm putting together a cosplay, damn it. It's Hellsing-themed, therefore an acceptable excuse.

Ffffffff- my cosplay is looking awesome. Otakon's gonna be so fun, even if it is like 15 THOUSAND degrees in Baltimore and I die of heat exhaustion because I'm in a suit. Well, Jimmie will be dead right along with me in a trench coat.

Suspend some disbelief for me. I don't know how secret organizations interact with one another.

B/N: Let's go dance to Bioshock big band music.

PAPA LOVES MAMBO!

A/N2: By 'dance' you of course mean 'Flail wildly around my kitchen'.

* * *

My leg was twitching. I wanted it to stop. And…the inside of my elbow hurt…something was pressing on it. I opened my eyes drowsily and stared at the pained area. Gauze was wrapped tightly just above my elbow, pressing cotton against the inside of my arm; I slowly became aware of how bloody the little square of cotton was.

I reached over and tried to pull the tape off, see what was wrong with me. I had gotten my fingertips under the gauze when a gloved hand wrapped around my wrist. I gasped, startled, as it gently pulled my hand away from the injury.

"Don't touch that. You'll cause arterial damage if you prod at it." Alucard said from where he was sitting on the side of my bed.

"What's it from…?" I asked, my mind fuzzy as hell and my words sounding slurred.

"The blood transfusion. The one on your hand is from the IV."

I couldn't quite remember why I would have needed a blood transfusion…

"Still drugged, hm? Well, to be fair, if you weren't so damn resistant to the medicine they wouldn't have to pump you so full of chemicals. Does your neck hurt?"

I brought my hand up and laid it on my neck, only to jerk it away in pain. Alucard let out a short laugh as the memories came flooding back.

"What the hell, Alucard?!" My voice was scared, despite my wishes for it to have more of a pissed-off sound to it.

He chuckled "Perhaps now you'll listen to me a little more often. I suppose you're asking why I attacked you, hm?" He smirked. "I told you to go home for a reason, my dear. The reason is that when I'm draining the blood of one of my victims, I'm not thinking all that clearly. You've experienced that firsthand several times.

"I'm not unreasonable in this state, however. When you wandered in, I was only planning on yelling at you. Then you started running. You little fool, you started running. Do you know why you should never run from an aggressive animal? It's because the second you turn your back and take off, all they can think is 'prey'. And with the way the scent of your fear and blood go so perfectly together already, I lost my state of mind. When you decided to run, all you were was a delicious, random little girl who had seen something she shouldn't have. And it was _so_ much more fun to just drain you than go through the hassle of erasing your memories. Of course, when I actually tasted your blood, I realized who you were, and let you go. You're lucky your taste is unmistakable, Pura." He leaned down, eyes narrowing, grinning in a way that made me want to reach up and cover my throat.

Alucard laughed quietly. "Watching you slowly become more and more frightened is amusing."

He leaned away, and I finally looked around to see where I was—my room. Why was I not in the med ward? I nearly died…again…why does everything hate me?

"You're not in the hospital because it would have been pointless. Your blood count is back to normal, and your injuries are no longer anything to worry about, other than the inevitable pain so soon after receiving them." He replied to my thoughts as he got up.

"Get out of my head…I'm gonna start having privacy issues…" I murmured, rolling over and feeling dizzy again.

"Which will only make reading your mind even more entertaining."

I looked up to yell at him, but he had already disappeared. Sneaky bastard, always leaves when I'm not looking.

After a few more hours of sleep, I felt well enough to go hunt down Alucard. I needed to ask him something…

Wandering around the dungeons, I eventually found him sitting in one of those ridiculously tall chairs, seemingly either sleeping or just deep in thought. The closer I got to him, the more credit I gave to the thought he was sleeping; he would usually startle me before I could get halfway into the room. I silently approached the sleeping vampire, having no actual intention of waking him up.

Despite the horrifying monster he was, I could never shake the notion that he looks adorable when he's asleep. I decided I was going to recline against the side of his chair, for lack of anything better to do. He'd wake up soon, and I didn't feel like leaving now and trying to find him again.

I was just a few feet from him, when something suddenly pushed hard against the middle of my back, throwing me into him with a frightened yelp. Alucard immediately wrapped his arms around me, chuckling. Okay, so maybe he _wasn't_ sleeping.

"Your sneaking about desperately needs work, my dear." He purred, folding my legs so he could keep me trapped closer and more comfortably. "Though, to be fair, your heart echoes so well in rooms like these it's impossible to miss it. And you can't very well make _that_ stop…but I can." He nuzzled against my neck, seeming to enjoy how I tensed up. "Relax, little one. I won't kill you, you're too much fun."

Despite the fact that he was clouding my mind with his seemingly affectionate actions, I was somehow able to remember why I came in here in the first place.

"A-Alucard?" I stuttered.

"Mmm?" he hummed, his cold breath giving me goosebumps.

"Is that what you do with every human you come across during a mission? Just kill them whenever you feel like it?" It struck me that accusing him like this was probably a bad idea when he was quite literally at my throat.

"Often." Alucard replied, stating it calmly.

"What?!" I had expected him to lie a bit, or at least pretend not to be so eager about it.

"Why are you so surprised, my dear? You're well aware that your kind are my prey. I sustain myself by draining the lives of humans. That I tend to kill the occasional intrusive human shouldn't astonish you." He lifted his head to look at me, raising his eyebrow as he spoke.

My blood felt cold. "Why…?" Was all I could think to ask.

"You ask me why?" He laughed, "Why do you think? Because they are there, and they aren't supposed to be. If the soldiers were charged with taking care of the vampire that night, they would shoot the unfortunate civilian to wander in. I use the same principle, yet a different method." He grinned, dangerous teeth threatening.

"But then…why didn't you kill me? I was a human somewhere I wasn't supposed to be…"

"Ah yes, but you weren't a loophole."

"A…loophole? In what?"

"Do you think Integra allows me to kill any human I wish to? Of course not. They need to be _hindering_ the mission. If I find a survivor of a vampire attack, I cannot kill them; Integra has orders in place so I can't. But if a human has entered the area and is tampering with my completion of a mission, I'm permitted to dispose of them. You, Pura, were a survivor, and there when I arrived, therefore off-limits. Besides, you were good vampire bait."

I shuddered, realizing how close I had come to being killed the first time I met him.

He licked my neck slowly "Of course you still _are_ excellent vampire bait…"

I braced myself, getting the feeling that he was about to sink his fangs into my still-sore throat, when he looked up towards the door.

"Good evening, Master." He purred.

I around twisted in his grip, barely able to see Integra standing in the doorway from my contorted position.

"There you are, Pura." She stated, ignoring Alucard.

"Hello sir…" I said quietly, blushing slightly as I realized Alucard was still holding me quite closely, and from Integra's angle this situation would look like…something different.

"Care to elaborate on what 'something different' would be?" Alucard whispered teasingly, the bastard making the heat rise on my face even more.

"Pura, come upstairs, I've got an assignment for you. You'll be needing your wings out."

My air was cut off when Alucard suddenly tightened his grip. "Master, you want _her_ to guard the meeting?!"

"Yes, Alucard. Is this a problem, servant?" I don't know what scared me more, the unknown reason why Alucard was crushing my lungs, or Integra's tone of voice.

"Master…You know his reputation…the slightest provocation and he'll kill her." 'Kill her'!? I'd really love to know what we're discussing here.

"Which is why she's going and you, vampire, are not. She's not going to be looking for a fight, whereas you would start one."

"Perhaps he won't look for a reason…"

"Alucard, this is a peacekeeping meeting. Attacking at that time and on our territory would mean a war. Pura will be fine and you are ordered to stay in the basement until the meeting is over. I'm not going to debate this with you, servant. Pura, be outside my office and ready in thirty minutes." And with that, a very irritated Integra left.

Before I could ask what just happened, I was silenced by the vicious growling that was frighteningly close to my face. Thankfully that stopped, with a sigh and much-needed loosening of his iron grip.

"What…is going on…?" I asked timidly.

"The head of the Vatican's section XIII is coming here to meet with Integra on one of the mandatory peacekeeping conferences they have throughout the year. An agent from their ranks and one from ours stand outside the doors and guard the meeting. Unnecessary protocol, really." He still seemed reluctant to let me go.

"Is that…bad?"

"I believe you met the other guard at the Christmas party…"

Oh…damn…

"What?! That guy?! But he wanted to kill me! He was crazy!"

Alucard made a low snarling sound, "Yes, I'm aware. Integra seems to have confidence in his ability to remain calm."

You know, I'd be confident if there were a large, locked iron-and-wood door between me and a psychopath, too…

"And as you could tell from my master's parting words, I'm now unable to leave the dungeons until the Vatican's chore boys depart. I'm trapped down here unless she calls me. So if things go awry, I advise you not to enact that trait of yours where your vocal chords stop working." He put me back on the ground. "Go on, Integra's already annoyed."

I left uneasily, weighing the pros and cons of just getting myself seriously injured to get out of this. I'm probably gonna end up that way, so it's just the terror we're cutting out of the situation.

For all my plotting, I never really go through with much. I made my way upstairs, physically (but nowhere near mentally) ready. Halfway up the second floor, I ran into Integra heading downstairs, accompanied by Walter.

"Pura, come along."

I turned quickly and followed with a startled "Yes, Sir."

Without turning to look at me, she spoke as we continued at a quick pace.

"Pura you're going to come with the two of us when we meet Maxwell and Father Anderson. Do not speak to Maxwell, and if, when you're standing guard, you speak to Father Anderson, show him the same courtesy he shows us: do not tell him _anything_ about yourself or the organization. Get rid of that fearful look. Do not attempt to antagonize Father Anderson, as he will most likely try to harm you if provoked. If he makes any attempt to get you to attack him, do not respond. The reason you are guarding the meeting and not Alucard is that I do not wish to have my hallways painted with blood and my staff massacred before we make it back upstairs." When she was done talking, combined with the fast rate at which we were moving, we had already reached the front door.

We stood about ten feet back, Integra, as usual, calm and intimidating, Walter seeming on edge yet bored at the same time, while I mentally panicked, endless scenarios running through my head, most of which ended with me having a knife sticking out of my throat, chest, skull, or anywhere else one would not enjoy having a large pointy object embedded. A soldier was standing at the door, and opened it after presumably getting word on his earpiece that they were at the entrance.

A man entered…he had silver hair. It was odd, he really didn't look that old, yet he had silver hair. I'm going to assume he was Maxwell, as he seemed to be leading the way. The person who entered next could only have been described as the Vatican's Walter. Then, of course, Father Anderson, who terrified me in the way Alucard terrifies everyone else. I think they were copying us, cheating bastards.

"Good day to you, Miss Integra." Maxwell said smoothly in a Roman accent. He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He scanned the room as he spoke, his gaze pausing on me for a moment. I wasn't too concerned with him, however, as Anderson had just glanced at me too. I think I saw his eye twitch out of what could only be homicidal rage in response to the 'hey look, wings jutting out of Pura's back' thing…

"Good day, Maxwell." Integra responded, unmoved by his badly-masked 'pleasantness'.

"Shall we proceed with the conference, then?" He asked, still giving off a 'slimy creep' vibe.

"Yes." Integra replied, turning and leading the way; I just followed Walter.

Well, I did, until we reached the office and he and his Vatican-clone left me to stand outside with a fucking maniac.

We stood on opposite sides of the double-doors, but that wasn't nearly enough distance for me to feel remotely safe. I also got the chance to again notice that I was two feet shorter than he was.

I had to keep glancing over at him to make sure he wasn't about to stab me, assuming knives were in fact his _modus operandi._ He just stood with his arms crossed, staring forward, and a look of hatred on his face.

My heart almost stopped when his eyes did flick over to me.

"So this is why these heathens decided to keep yae; yae're a little monster."

I did my best not to show any reactions to his words, though I may have flinched when he said 'monster'.

He must have seen it, "Did ah 'it a nerve?" he asked smiling "Are yae thinking aboot attacking me, creature?" He laughed.

Something shiny caught my eye, and I looked at his hand.

Holy fuck. That's a knife.

He was suddenly holding, out of _fucking nowhere_, what had to be a foot-long blade. Needless to say, I got a little tense.

At this point, I wasn't glancing at him, but now was not letting him out of my sight. Not really breathing, either.

"Scared, child?"

I didn't reply, but tried hard to look less terrified than I actually was.

He laughed, "Tryin' to put up a brave front, are yae?" He smiled kindly and turned to look forward again.

A few moments passed, without him moving. After a while, I looked forward to. Then I heard a dull 'shink' sound.

Yes, those knives are very sharp. I could verify from the one embedded deep into the wall an inch from my skin. I could see the writing on his glove, too. 'Speak With Dead'…

I stood there, stunned, unable to move despite the blade next to my face. That of course only lasted a second before I took off down the hallway.

* * *

_"Master…"_ Alucard's voice murmured in Integra's mind.

Integra ignored the irritating vampire. Alucard: a bloodthirsty monster, he would destroy everything in sight given the chance…who also whined incessantly if told to stay in the basement.

Not that listening to Maxwell blather on was more enjoyable. Integra held back a smirk when she saw even Father Renaldo had a 'bored-to-tears' expression.

_"Master."_ She grit her teeth.

"_Be silent. Can you not wait down there for even a few hours?" _She mentally snapped at him. She felt him flinch as the seals binding him reacted to her words.

Integra tried to give a damn about what Maxwell was saying. But the meeting could have ended by now, he was just going on about...something. Alucard's constant pestering had caused her mind to wander for the past few minutes, and Maxwell was happy to go on without encouragement.

_"Master!" _Alucard called again.

_"For the love of God, vampire, what do you want!?"_

_"Master, while I know you can't hear it, I'm quite aware of the panicked scrabbling of little icy claws coming from the second floor. Turns out the Section XIII priest wasn't as calm as you thought he would be…"

* * *

_

I ran, frantically hissing several choice curses. Ice grew up my arms in a second, and I tried to coat the floor behind me in a sheet of ice, hoping to get him to slip. Having never tried such a thing before, I have no idea if it worked, but I refused to look back. Especially when I heard a 'whissh' and a knife lodged into the wall in front of me, a knife which had passed by me close enough to clip a few strands of my hair.

I remembered suddenly that I was supposed to be _guarding_, and stupidly turned on my heel to face him, putting my hands up. I just barely caught a knife as he swung it down at me. Thank God I had my ice up or I'd be even more fucked.

My arm trembled with the effort to keep the blade in the air. It dawned on me that I was nearly backed against a wall; also a bad thing.

He laughed, barely even putting any effort into forcing the bayonet downward. "Well, it same's yae've got a trick oother than joost flapping aboot like a crippled bird."

I brought my other hand up to keep the knife away from me.

Should've been watching his other hand…

A cold blade pressed against my neck the second my free hand hit the one in the air.

"That was a bad idea, child."

I tried to take my hand off the aloft blade and slowly move it to push off the other one, but that resulted in him pressing the cold steel (silver?) harder against my skin, making me fear he'd cut my throat open. I instinctively whimpered.

"Not pretendin' ta be brave now ah see." He laughed. "Hmm?" He tapped the blade against my neck, making me wince each time. "Yae're not burned by tha' blessed silver…? Just what kind of beast are yae…?"

"ANDERSON!" Came the enraged roar from Maxwell. Anderson turned his head, immediately getting the weapons away from me. I wasted no time in darting away, running past the now-visible Maxwell and beside Integra.

"Pura! Are you alright? A fine job of controlling your servant, Maxwell." Integra was _pissed_.

"Anderson what on earth were you thinking? We were having a _peacekeeping_ meeting!" Maxwell seemed genuinely disturbed that Anderson had attacked me, though that could have been put on, due to the high concentration of Hellsing soldiers currently at the ready.

"Ah had no intention to hurt tha' girl." He muttered. That wasn't even close to believable…

"This was an isolated incident, I assure you…" Maxwell insisted.

Integra gave a cold stare. "Walter, show the Vatican out."

"Of course, sir."

Walter and the other three left, leaving me with Integra. She said nothing but took a step away from me.

I stood there in confusion before my vision went completely black. That was mostly because my face was buried in Alucard's suit. He picked me up off the ground, apparently just now released from the basement.

"Master, you can't expect to send her there after this little '_incident'_." Alucard snarled.

"Alucard I'd get her out of this if I was able, but the meeting's over, and the terms are now unchangeable short of her dying."

Alucard sighed, and Integra turned and walked away. I squirmed in his grip, half out of discomfort and half out of uneasiness, as his shadows were starting to creep up on my arms. To my surprise, he actually released me.

He leaned down, examining my neck. "Are you alright…? You're bleeding."

"I-I am?" I reached up to my neck, but got a look at my hands. On my right hand, a little slit had been made in the webbing of my middle and ring finger, and on my left a cut across my palm was starting to drip onto the floor.

He took my left hand and gently kissed my palm before beginning to close the wound. Why was he being so protective and affectionate…?

"Where am I being sent…?" I asked once he had healed my injuries.

He sighed and wrapped his arms around me, unexpectedly phasing down through the floor with me. He sat down on a couch, still keeping a hold on me.

"Pura, that meeting wasn't a peacekeeping measure; it was _to set up_ a peacekeeping measure. Every other year, we here at Hellsing send a member of ours to live at the Iscariot organization, and the send a member of theirs to us. Integra had decided earlier today that you'd be the best person to send, for your inconspicuous human teenager form and your unwillingness to cause any sort of fight. That meeting had just been in place to sign papers and discuss those exchanged. By the time Anderson had attacked you, the papers were already official and hands had been shaken. Despite the priest's actions, you're still spending a week at the Iscariot organization."

I stared at him for a moment.

"I'm gonna do fucking what!?"

* * *

A/N: Late skank late skank. I know.

But it's here, and it's…full of dialogue. I'm sorry, this is a necessary chapter, but it was mostly transition so it was hard to write. Combine that with video games, colleges, and cosplay-making and that'll give you nearly two months.

Now then, after two days, I'm fucking going to bed. See you after Otakon. Pictures of which I will post on my dA.


	57. Going Away Present

A/N: Well, sad news; I didn't get to meet Crispin. But that being said, I don't think I wanted to spend Otakon waiting in a 5-hour line. Really, people told me they were in line for the 1:15 signing since 8 AM.

At any rate, Goddamn it Otakon was SO MUCH FUN. I can't possibly write it all down here. Pictures up on my Deviant Art, which is the same username as this one, more (by that I mean ones I refuse to put on dA where anyone can see) on my Facebook, which some of you know.

Yeah, whatever, took a while. School just started, I'm gonna concentrate on not fucking up my senior year, so I request patience.

* * *

I was sulking. I knew it; I also knew I should stop, but I couldn't seem to do so. I only had two days before I was carted off to what was essentially hell and it was so much easier to be depressed and withdrawn then feign any sort of cheer for the benefit of others.

But really, I was terrified, and just didn't want to let everyone and their dog know. The likelihood of getting back home safely was equal to me returning in a body bag. I'm gonna be miles away from anyone who could help me while in the immediate vicinity of a frigging psychopath; I don't have a chance.

All I wanted to do was find Alucard and hide close to him for a while, but of course he would have to turn me in, due to Integra's orders. Even so, I'd have liked to be near him to have some sense of security; but I couldn't find him. By no means was this an unusual occurrence, I just cursed it more than usual right now.

As I silently wandered the halls, I was suddenly jolted out of my thoughts by the loud crashing of thunder, the shockwave shaking the damn house. Aside from the unexpected sound making me jump, it convinced me to go watch the storm for a while. That usually calmed me down a little.

My plans were slowed a bit, however, when I realized that sitting on the roof of a tall building while soaking wet during a vicious storm would be a great way to coax a minimum of 100 million volts to course through my body.

Luckily for me, the mansion has no shortage of huge windows to sit in front of. I tracked down the nearest plush-carpeted open room and promptly stretched out in front of the dark window.

I watched the rain dash itself against the pane, occasional bursts of lightening turning the darkness blinding for split seconds.

I rested my chin on the windowsill, lazily watching the rain fall, calmer than I had been all day. The next lightening flash, however, brought a face staring back at me through the window. I yelped, falling backward, heart racing as the face disappeared with the flash of light.

Alucard stepped through the wall, chuckling softly. Goddamn it, I really should have recognized that smug expression through the glass.

"I couldn't resist." He purred, kneeling down next to me. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his lap. I tensed instinctively, still shaken.

I turned away, glaring at nothing. "Why the hell can't you just walk into a room without terrifying me?"

"We've been over this, little one." He rested his chin on my shoulder "Really, scaring you is simply fun."

Sighing, I relaxed. No point in staying all freaked out when it only encourages him.

Alucard, feeling my surrender, pulled me closer, the cold feeling of his shadows tickling my arms.

"You're still scared." He murmured in my ear, amused.

"I'm not." I lied.

"Of course you aren't" Alucard purred, playfully nipping at my neck, not drawing blood.

It dawned on me that he probably didn't just show up to keep me company. No, this vampire was holding me down, debating on the best place to slit open my veins. I'd be lying if I claimed that didn't unsettle me quite a bit.

The vampire who had me in a potentially deadly hug chuckled. "Do you think I'd drain you just days before a traumatic experience? You insult me little one; that wouldn't be very polite, now would it?"

It amazes me how he claims to be polite even when moments before he could be ripping hearts out. And yet, somehow, he's…_right_. Okay, so it's not so much _politeness_ (one can hardly describe decapitating others as 'polite') as it is _charm_, but still, he had no problem winning people over when he wanted to.

I leaned my head back and to the side, bumping it against his shoulder.

Alucard chuckled "For a girl who so fears being bitten, you certainly don't act like it."

I wasn't really listening (though I _did_ notice his cold tongue sliding up the side of my neck…). The rain pounding against the window had lulled me into a sleepy state. I closed my eyes, wondering if he'd just lay me on the floor or stay with me while I fell asleep.

"You're so foolishly helpless when you're tired, my dear…so ignorant of any threatening or dangerous situation, so trusting of anything that doesn't _immediately_ kill you…"

I opened my eyes to look at him, planning to give him some sleepy not-as-witty-as-I-thought comment, when I realized we were moving. Either he was able to walk without me even feeling it or I was _really_ out of it. Probably both, actually.

"Oblivious creature." He remarked, smirking.

I huffed, trying to seem annoyed. I doubt it worked, and didn't actually want it to. Being dropped from this height would friggin' hurt. I slipped involuntarily back into my half-asleep state. Alucard continued, not really caring whether I was conscious or not.

He set me on my bed; I was too tired to open my eyes. "Sleep well, my dear." He purred, close enough that his breath chilled my skin.

I wanted to roll my eyes; like I'd be able to sleep well with what awaited me in the too-near future…

* * *

I woke up much sooner than Alucard, as usual. Normally, I'd just laze about until he woke up as well, but today I had something else to do.

I made my way down to the med ward, not at all excited with my plans for the day. The halls here always smelled like bleach, yet the all-too-familiar smell of blood still lingered underneath the harsh cleaner.

Wandering into the head doctor's office, I knocked on the doorway, the door already open.

The labcoat-clad man spun around in his chair, papers in his hands. "Hello Pura, anything you need?" The medical staff have been overly nice ever since one of them tried to overdose me then was slaughtered by Alucard. Funny how that works out.

"I wanted to…give some blood." I wasn't sure if 'give' was the right word here, but 'donate' definitely was not.

"Ah, good then." He stood up. "Come on."

"What? Right now?!" For some reason I thought I'd have time to calm down from my initial nervousness gained from just coming in here.

"Yes; just a few tests first, then we'll get you hooked up."

I followed him past a few doorways down the hall, entering into a room with a number of cots arranged in two rows.

"Charlie" He called to a man sitting behind a desk pushed off to the side. Charlie looked up. "Pura here wants to donate, think you can help her out?" Really, I wouldn't consider this donating.

With a friendly wave, Charlie calls me over. He gives me some papers to fill out containing questions that don't pertain to me at all (what the hell is babesiosis or Chagas disease and how can I never get either?).

After apparently filling out the questionnaire correctly, he jabbed my finger and put the little dot of blood that appeared on a slide-like holder. After putting it on a sort of scanner and examining it quickly on the computer screen, he sent me to lie down on a cot.

Lying on the cot, I had plenty of time to grow more and more nervous. This was almost as nerve-wracking as Alucard biting me. Maybe even a little scarier; while he was a little more aggressive about getting my blood, he was also an expert on the amount taken and healing. The medical staff, on the other hand, have tried to poison me.

What if they jabbed the needle through the vein? What if I shifted my arm and the needle tore out? What if they hit a tendon? Why are they letting me sit here on my back alone like this, it's making me freak out.

Eventually Charlie returned, putting what seemed to be a brick under my neck to lift my head up, and place a small plastic bar in my hand. He told me I was to squeeze the bar, count to three, and then relax throughout the whole 'donation' process.

I tried to stare at something other than the rather thick needle being brought toward my outstretched arm. My expression must have mirrored my feelings, because he asked me 'are you alright' at least nine times.

I turned away, clamping my eyes shut as he slid the needle into my arm…and pulled it back out. I looked at him, worried.

"Missed the vein." He replied calmly, and jabbed me again while I was watching, making my stomach turn.

He must have hit the mark this time because the tube running from the needle to a bag rushed with blood. I shuddered and turned away, unable to watch.

I lied there for at least a half hour, my arm feeling cold and rather numb at this point. Charlie finally came back, having gone out of my line of sight for the past twenty minutes now, and I turned away again and cringed as he pulled the needle out. He cleaned and bandaged my arm, wrapping the sore puncture wound with bright red gauze.

I sat up uneasily. Charlie had removed the blood bag from the hanger on the side of the table and had put a label on it, upon which he was about to write with a black marker.

"Hey." I called softly. He looked up. "Can I see that?"

"Sure." He handed me the blood.

"I'm taking this now." I stated, and hopped off the table.

"He-hey wait you can't-" He started and moved to stop me.

"It's my blood. It's just moved." I replied, walking out.

He didn't chase me, and I smiled to myself, knowing that I actually had some power among the medical staff. Granted, it wasn't really _my_ power that kept them from challenging me, but it'd work all the same.

I returned to my room, grabbing a black marker of my own to write on the unmarked label. Rather than my name, I drew a simple little bat wing outline in the open space. He'd get it.

I taped a small note to the bag and hurried to the fridge; the whole donating process had taken too long- Alucard would be up soon.

I opened the small cooler in one of the kitchens, and hid the bag in the middle of the well-stocked rows of blood, not wanting him to find it before I left. I kinda wished I could give it to him fresh, but not much could be done about that. Rushing back to my room, I changed into a long-sleeve shirt to cover the bandage, doubting it'd fool him but trying anyway. I was beginning to feel dizzy, probably from making no effort to get my blood sugar back up from a cookie or something.

It wasn't long before an arm was hooked around my shoulders from behind and pulled me back.

"You smell so weak…" He purred, nuzzling through my hair, his breath chilling the back of my neck. I froze; the start that accompanied his sudden touch had furthered my lightheadedness.

"Not feeling well?" He chuckled. "Missing some blood, perhaps?"

Damn it, he's good…but not nearly good enough to stop my head from spinning.

"Now…How have you injured yourself today, my dear?"

I was not about to give him an answer. Instead I replied with a 'go away' moan. Of course it only made him laugh.

I twisted in his grip, wanting to lie down or pass out. I settled on getting halfway to the second one, my vision blurring so bad that I had to put my head down, knowing it was only a matter of time before I blacked out. Awake yet either unable or just unwilling to control my body, I went limp. The vampire chuckled and picked me up.

I expected to be put down on a couch or table. Alucard, however, decided to throw me over his shoulder so that I was facing behind him and walk off. I opened my eyes in alarm and struggled so weakly that even I found it pathetic.

"You're not going anywhere, little one. You're mine today."

…Was that supposed to make me _stop _fighting? I tried to wriggle out of his grasp one more time before giving up. He didn't even seem to notice, his grip across my back never loosening in the slightest.

The entirety of my day (night, really) was spent being terrified and toyed with, the moments of being a bloodthirsty monster's plaything often inexplicably interrupted with short bursts of affection.

And yet, it was so much better than being alone.

* * *

A/N: Bwehhh.

Halloween and whatnot. Terrible parties. Pencils. Delays. Sleepy.

So...a funny thing happened when I uploaded this. You see how this is 2000-some words? Yeah the doc. manager told me it was 617. Thinking it was an error, I went and looked. It was 617. I went to the file on my computer, thinking it was downloaded wrong. Only three paragraphs were written.

So after nearly having a heart attack, I discovered that there were for no apparent reason two save files, one in the folder I have for this story and one out in the open under my documents. Apparently while writing the vast majority of this chapter I had been saving this to the out-of-folder one. Yeah, this close to flipping the fuck out at three in the morning.


	58. Musical Interlude IX

A/N: Wrote this at the same time as that last chapter. The only reason they're not the same chapter is because I decided that I don't want to smush musical interludes in with regular chapters. Because I enjoy using Roman numerals. Nevermind that this and the last one are technically the same document.

Also since it's been roughly forever since I've written Alucard, this is most likely terrible.

Ehng. Fuck school. Fuck SATs. Fuck college apps. Sulk sulk sulk.

* * *

It was nearing 6 A.M., and Pura had gone reluctantly to bed hours ago. I was lying in my coffin, eyes closed, thinking.

I had made the most of the last evening I had with the girl before she was handed over to those Iscariot bastards. She shouldn't be the one sent. Yes, she would be hard to provoke into starting something, but she was also incredibly skittish around those she perceived as serious threats, and Father Anderson fits that description nicely. Knowing she's from Hellsing, he's bound to terrorize her (much as I do, but he'd have no motivation keeping him from slaughtering her). All it would take is one panicked twitch, a sudden turn or slip from Pura, and then she'd be slipping on the blood pouring from her slit throat.

As the ways my little one's life could be ended by a hand other than mine piled up, I became aware of the heartbeat outside my door. Undoubtedly it was Pura, the pattern of her heart and scent never failing to betray her.

I waited a moment before rising to discover what she was bothering me about. I opened the door, expecting to find her staring up at me, attempting to look as pathetic as possible, and easy task for such a fragile creature.

Instead, the girl was curled up under a blanket beside the doorway, asleep.

She's done this once before. The night's mission had gone badly, and she had experienced what casualties on our side were like. Three soldiers were lost in the attack, and Pura had seen it. She had tagged along with a small scouting party to find a vampire's hideout, when three of the undead attacked. Pura, struggling with a vampire herself, was unable to do anything as the men were torn apart.

When I discovered her like this last time, I simply left her where she was. I wasn't about to comfort her for witnessing the death of men who undertook this line of duty. A quick search through her mind had revealed that she didn't expect to be even noticed, the little fool.

Now, I turned to close my door, know she was content to sleep there. But I stopped. The girl could very well die tomorrow, or at any point in the next week. The chances were high that this is the last time I would see her breathing.

I stood there, watching her for a few moments, then sighed.

"Come on then." I murmured to her, leaning down to pick the pathetic thing up.

"Neh?" she asked, not quite awake, her unfocused eyes blinking in surprise.

"Yes." I answered, closing the door behind me. Uncharacteristically, she didn't struggle at all, however futile the effort may have been.

I knew her compliance came not from exhaustion, but from a desire to be what she considered 'safe'.

I laughed quietly at the thought as I lowered the girl into my coffin. Finally, she displayed a negative response. Once her sleep-addled mind registered that she was in a coffin, she cringed. Even having slept inside my coffin once before, she still was unable to shake the human revulsion of the structure. I climbed in next to her, smirking at her thoughts: _'Should I be less nervous, or more?'_

I slid the coffin lid closed, blinding the girl and sharpening my own senses. I pulled her closer, wanting her heat.

She twisted around for a moment, getting comfortable. She never seemed to mind having her body heat sapped. She'd begin shivering in a moment, but she never moved away or curled up by herself. Before she had a chance to shake, I formed my coat to cover her.

Pura toyed idly with a button on my undershirt. I could sense the fear that was making her ill, her attempts to hide it useless.

Her voice was quiet, trembling. "I'm…gonna die…"

"You've survived far worse than this." When she received fast medical attention, that is. Of course, sending her off in a panic would get her killed.

She closed her eyes, wanting to forget for a while. I slid my hand down to feel the little puncture wound on her arm. She had taken the gauze off, and a bruise was beginning to form. The girl had donated blood- in the event that she returned missing a few pints? There was plenty of her type in stock, she wouldn't miss that donation.

Such a shame she was already slightly anemic from the blood loss; I could have offered her some…help in getting to sleep.

I opened my eyes at a slight whimper; I had pressed too hard on the needle mark. I released her arm and licked the too-small spot of blood off my thumb. Her vein's already pierced; I would merely have to draw the blood out…

I traced the gently pulsing blood vessel up her arm, goosebumps rising along the path. Her heart rate went up, and I frowned against the craving for her life. Bringing the weak and frightened creature into my coffin is always such a test of my restraint. Pura relaxed, finding the darkness comforting. She cuddled against me with a short, content hum. I closed my eyes, wrapping my shadows around the girl to take in the heat she gave off.

I opened my eyes. Asleep…I had fallen asleep. I looked down at Pura; she was lying on me, her ear over where my heart would beat had I been alive. Her breath lightly stirred the dark hair that fell over her face.

I put my fingertips to her warm neck, memorizing the feel of her pulse. A muscle in her neck shuddered in response to the unexpected chill of my touch. The girl's eyes opened slightly, her current state nowhere near 'conscious'. Her hand twitched on my shoulder and she curled her fingers around my hair. Pura slipped back into sleep the second her eyes fell closed; human enough to forget what awaited her in a few hours.

Once centuries have passed before your eyes, hours are nothing. Sleep was not going to come to me; instead I waited for the short time to ensure she didn't oversleep and anger Integra. In no time I was gently shaking her awake, ignoring the whimpers that begged for sleep.

"Get up, Pura." I growled, making her nervous to break the drowsiness.

She opened her eyes and the realization of what today meant dawned on her quickly. My arm around her was all that stopped her from sitting up and bashing her head off the lid of my coffin.

It didn't take her very long to get herself ready, and she was back at my door in half an hour. She had a messenger bag holding whatever was fragile enough to keep with her slung over her shoulder. She appeared simply nervous, rather than outright frightened, though her scent suggested otherwise.

Pura looked up at me, her emotion changing immediately from anxiety to…pain. She had come here to say goodbye, and she was…upset. Was this girl, this pathetic little creature I had too many times mauled beyond human survival, actually going to _miss me_?

That sentiment so common in humans was not something I had ever experienced. Even when I was mortal so long ago, no human had mourned my absence.

"I-…" she began, the words becoming lost to her. Whether it was just fear that made her dread leaving or actual attachment, she was on the verge of tears. She didn't believe she would return alive, a perception she refused to change despite the insistence of others.

She took a breath to compose herself, and started again. She never got to finish whatever it was she was about to say.

I picked her up and kissed her, the action doing nothing to calm her. She tensed at the surprise but relaxed quickly, cautiously sliding her arm around my neck. She leaned away with a gasp after a moment, her breathing fast and her heart slamming.

"A week is nothing, little one. You'll come back here after a few days, perfectly intact."

I set the blushing girl down, ready to catch her. Amusingly, I had badly affected her sense of balance, but she recovered without collapsing, much to my disappointment.

She looked up with a slight smile. "Don't forget about me or anything." She said, still remorseful but on better terms with leaving then she had been moments ago.

"An impossible feat, my dear. Don't let that Judas Priest think he scares you. Now go, Integra's getting impatient."

She hugged me, a surprising act on her part; she's usually so hesitant to touch me, for fear of being pushed away or worse. She turned and hurried off, not wanting to see my reaction.

I watched her go, happy I could taste her before she left. Down the hall, she lifted a hand to her lips, her fingertips coming away bloody. She stopped, looking back, seeing nothing; I had melted into the shadows. Pura smiled.

Perhaps I'd miss _her_ as well.

* * *

A/N: SHUT UP I GOT IT DONE. TWO CHAPTERS UPDATED, ONE AT 3 AM AND ONE WHEN I GOT BACK FROM WORK. HAPPY? The next chapter will indeed feature adventures in Iscariot land. This is out so quickly because if it wasn't and it took another month to write, I'd probably get complaints about not having her in Iscariot by now.

Buhhh. So being the huge nerds my friends and I are, we're already planning Otakon for next year. Jen and co. are adding cosplays: ones from L4D. I can make awesome Hunter noises. We've got a place to stay, and people from all the hell over are joining us and Hellsing cosplaying as well.

Also it's been a really fucking long time since I updated. I don't blame you for wanting to murder me. It's terrible of me to ask, but would you kindly review the last chapter too, because I need to know how much worse I've gotten on not only Alucard, but on rest-of-story as well.

Words fail me after writing a thousand and it being three in the morning.


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